Assessment of awareness, knowledge, and usage of folic acid among females in Jazan Region, Saudi Arabia
- PMID: 39772308
- DOI: 10.29063/ajrh2024/v28i12.18
Assessment of awareness, knowledge, and usage of folic acid among females in Jazan Region, Saudi Arabia
Abstract
Folic acid (FA) plays a crucial role in various biological processes. Insufficient intake of FA during pregnancy can lead to serious clinical complications, including neural tube defect. The current study sought to assess the awareness, knowledge, and usage of FA among young females in Jazan region of Saudi Arabia. This cross-sectional descriptive study involved 472 adult females from October 1 to 9, 2023, in Jazan region, Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire of the study was randomly distributed among females. The data showed that awareness and usage of FA supplementation were poor to fair among females. Furthermore, socio-demographic variables, including age, marital status, monthly income, education levels, number of pregnancies, and current pregnancy status, were found to be associated with awareness and utilization of FA supplementation. The study highlights the need to enhance awareness and knowledge of FA supplementation among females in the Jazan region. Introducing educational programs is essential in Saudi Arabia, particularly in the Jazan region, to enhance the knowledge and awareness of FA within the community.
L'acide folique (AF) joue un rôle crucial dans divers processus biologiques. Un apport insuffisant en AF pendant la grossesse peut entraîner de graves complications cliniques, notamment une anomalie du tube neural. La présente étude visait à évaluer la sensibilisation, les connaissances et l'utilisation de l'AF chez les jeunes femmes de la région de Jazan en Arabie Saoudite. Cette étude descriptive transversale a porté sur 472 femmes adultes, menée du 1er au 9 octobre 2023, dans la région de Jazan, en Arabie Saoudite. Le questionnaire de l'étude a été distribué au hasard parmi les femmes. Les données ont montré que la sensibilisation et l'utilisation de la supplémentation en AG étaient faibles à passables chez les femmes. En outre, des variables sociodémographiques, notamment l'âge, l'état civil, le revenu mensuel, le niveau d'éducation, le nombre de grossesses et l'état actuel de la grossesse, se sont révélées associées à la connaissance et à l'utilisation de la supplémentation en AG. L'étude met en évidence la nécessité d'améliorer la sensibilisation et les connaissances sur la supplémentation en AG chez les femmes de la région de Jazan. L'introduction de programmes éducatifs est essentielle en Arabie Saoudite, en particulier dans la région de Jazan, pour améliorer les connaissances et la sensibilisation à l'AF au sein de la communauté.
Keywords: Jazan region; Saudi Arabia; awareness; knowledge, usage, folic acid.
African Journal of Reproductive Health © 2024.
Conflict of interest statement
The Authors declared no conflict of interest
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