# Quality of life in Saudi Arabia: a patient-reported outcome measurement information system (PROMIS) – 10 global health study

## TL;DR

This study measures health-related quality of life in Saudi Arabia using a survey and finds generally good scores but with some disparities.

## Contribution

The study establishes reference values for health-related quality of life in Saudi Arabia using the PROMIS-GH survey.

## Key findings

- The general Saudi population has 'very good' scores for mental and physical health based on PROMIS-GH T-scores.
- Being Saudi or female is associated with lower physical and mental health scores.
- Disparities in health-related quality of life exist based on sociodemographic factors.

## Abstract

Measuring the quality of life of a population provides a baseline for future comparisons and is essential for decision-makers, especially regarding resource allocation. Despite substantial investment in healthcare services in Saudi Arabia, no study has captured the general Saudi population’s overall health-related quality of life. This study utilized existing healthcare system data to develop reference values for the Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System - Global Health (PROMIS-GH) survey for the population in Saudi Arabia and to examine associated sociodemographic predictors of health-related quality of life.

From a nationwide survey conducted by the Saudi Ministry of Health, records of 40,000 out of 37,160,000 individuals were randomly selected with stratification for sex, age groups and regions. Participants received notifications via the national digital health platform (Sehhaty) to complete the PROMIS-GH survey.

A total of 3,630 individuals filled out the survey (response rate of 9.1%); the mean age was 38.6 ± 12.1 years, and 60.1% (n = 2182) were men. The general Saudi population had mean T-scores of 50.5 (± 10.3) for global mental health and 48.5 (± 9.8) for global physical health, both classified as “very good” based on the established Saudi-specific thresholds. Being Saudi or female was associated with lower physical and mental health scores.

The health-related quality of life scores in Saudi Arabia are classified as “very good”; however, disparities exist. Future studies are needed to further investigate the reasons behind the sociodemographic and regional variations in HRQoL among the general population of Saudi Arabia.