Public awareness of venous thromboembolism in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a fatal disease associated with high morbidity and mortality rate. Increasing the level of knowledge and awareness might be beneficial in a certain population by making people more engaged in treatment and in the need for prophylaxis. The aim of the study is to determine the level of awareness of VTE among residents in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and to determine if there is a difference in the level of awareness regarding gender and age. A quantitative observational cross-sectional study was performed in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in the period of September 2018 to March 2019. The total number of study participants was 349. Females showed a significantly higher awareness of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) compared to males, while there was no significant difference as regard age. The study highlighted the urgent need for structured awareness promotion programs on DVT for the residents in this regard. (C) 2020 The Authors. Published by IASE.