Public Perception of Medical Errors and Confusion About Medical Complications: Implications for Healthcare Safety in Saudi Arabia

Abdullah Alhewiti Department of Family and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Abdullah Alhewiti, Email [email protected]: This study assessed public perceptions of medical errors in the Tabuk region, Saudi Arabia, and explored how misconceptions about medical complications influence their views on medical errors.Methods: A cross-sectional study surveyed 432 participants via an online questionnaire. The collected data included demographics, participants’ knowledge, experiences, and perceptions of medical errors, and the accuracy in distinguishing errors from complications. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for analysis.Results: Overall, 37.5% of participants reported having knowledge of medical errors, and 31.5% had directly or indirectly experienced them. 62.4% believed that medical errors are common or very common, and 84% viewed medical errors as a real problem in the healthcare sector. Misdiagnosis (55.6%) was perceived as the most common type of error. While participants demonstrated 71.1% overall accuracy in differentiating medical errors from complications, 62% erroneously classified severe complications (internal bleeding due to blood thinner treatment) as errors. After controlling for confounders, regression analysis demonstrated that greater accuracy in differentiation error from complications was negatively associated with negative views on medical errors (β = − 0.373, p < 0.001), though misconceptions alone explained only 16.4% of the variance in these views. Physicians were deemed most responsible for errors, while inadequate preventive measures, low competency, negligence, and lack of medical staff monitoring were identified as key contributors by the participants.Conclusion: Negative views on medical errors stemmed in part from misconceptions about medical complications. Targeted educational initiatives clarifying the nature of medical errors and the error-complication distinctions are needed. These measures are essential to fostering trust, improving the accuracy of errors reporting and advancing collaborative safety efforts. The findings from this research advocate for public engagement in healthcare safety initiatives, bridging the divide between patient expectations and healthcare realities.Keywords: medical errors, medical complications, patient safety, healthcare safety, public perceptions, public engagement