Knowledge of Undergraduate Students About Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

TL;DR

This study found that undergraduate students at a Saudi university have limited knowledge about COPD, with pharmacy and medicine students performing better than others.

Contribution

The study evaluates COPD knowledge among health science undergraduates in Saudi Arabia using a validated questionnaire.

Findings

Overall COPD knowledge scores were low with a mean of 15.16 out of 30.

Pharmacy and Medicine students scored significantly higher than Science and Health Professions students.

Students showed better understanding of smoking and epidemiology domains compared to symptoms and breathlessness.

Abstract

Aims

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the most common causes of death worldwide. This study assesses the level of knowledge about COPD among undergraduate students that makes it different from other respiratory illnesses.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduate students at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS). The Bristol Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Knowledge Questionnaire (BCKQ) was used to evaluate the knowledge about COPD, epidemiology, symptoms, exercise, smoking, and breathlessness domains. The questionnaire was distributed among the different male colleges.

Results

There were 304 respondents from five colleges. The overall BCKQ mean score was 15.16±4.52 (maximum 30). The mean score was highest for the Colleges of Pharmacy (18.89±2.17) and Medicine (18.00±3.84), and the College of Science and Health Professions had the lowest score (11.56±5.58). The highest overall means for the different domains (max=5) were for smoking (2.19±1.2), and epidemiology (2.83±1.27), while symptoms of COPD (2.23±1.06) and breathlessness (1.96±1.13) were the lowest among the domains.

Conclusions

There was a low level of understanding among undergraduate students in general, but the Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy had better knowledge. On the other hand, the College of Science and Health Professions had a lower score. This indicates some areas for improvement in the education program. Appropriate development in the education program is recommended, such as increasing the awareness of symptoms of COPD and other aspects of the disease.

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