Knowledge of and Testing Rate for Hepatitis C Infection among the General Public of Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Introduction: The Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia has announced a plan to eradicate hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. This study sought to evaluate the knowledge levels and testing rate among the general population of Saudi Arabia.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using data collected from an online, self-administered survey. Multivariable analysis was conducted using multiple binary logistic regression models to identify factors associated with low knowledge levels as well as predictors of HCV testing.

Results: A total of 689 participants completed the survey. While most participants (88%) have heard of HCV infection, less than half (47.3%) understood that HCV is curable with medications. More than half of the participants (53.7%) have low knowledge about HCV infection. Testing for HCV was reported by 123 respondents (17.8%), and the odds of testing for HCV were significantly lower among residents of the Makkah region (OR = 0.59 [95% CI: 0.36-0.97]) and those with low knowledge level (OR = 0.47 [95% CI: 0.29-0.74]). HCV diagnosis was reported by nine respondents (1.3%), of whom only four reported receiving treatment (44%).

Conclusions: Our study indicates inadequate knowledge levels and relatively low testing rate. These findings underscore the need for national awareness campaigns and more effective strategies for HCV screening.