Assessment of Perceptions and Experiences toward Allergic Diseases: A Cross-Sectional Community-based Study from the Prospective of Saudi Adult’s
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Abstract
Background and Objective: Although allergic diseases (AD) are very common and their cause may not be easily
identifiable, the presence of these diseases worsens everyday activities. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the
Incidence, Perceptions, and Experiences of AD among Saudi adults in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Methods: A crosssectional study was conducted from March to August 2024 using an online questionnaire among the Saudi adults
living in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, using a convenience sampling technique. The data were collected. To achieve the
objective, a validated, self-reporting questionnaire, with a total of 20 items, assessed the participant’s responses
toward AD. The data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 27. Results: The
response rate was. The majority of the participants (73%) do not have any family history of AD; however, a
similar percentage of participants are diagnosed with some form of AD. The most commonly reported AD were
asthma 59 (25%), followed by eczema, 85 (21.9%), allergic rhinitis 47 (12.1), skin rash 27 (6.9%), and urticaria
10 (2.6%). Although the majority of the participants (91.3%) reported that their allergy is not serious, while
74.3% reported that it affects their daily activities. The most common cause of AD among respondents was due
to insects (9.4%) and clothes (8.7%). The most commonly reported symptom associated with allergy was itching
(64.6%), followed by itching with a burning sensation (23.9%) and feeling hot (11.6%). Conclusion: The current
findings revealed that various allergy disorders existed among Saudi residents, the most frequent of which were
eczema, asthma, and allergic rhinitis. Individuals’ quality of life is negatively impacted by allergies in the form of
interference with daily activities, sleep problems, difficulty breathing, and school absenteeism.
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