AWARENESS AND KNOWLEDGE OF OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA AMONG THE POPULATION OF THE AL-BAHA REGION OF SAUDI ARABIA: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a known sleep-disordered breathing, with known morbidity and mortality, that affects a lot of people worldwide. In Saudi Arabia, the prevalence of OSA is estimated to be around 8.8% among adult males and 5.1% among adult females. The research is a cross-sectional study design conducted in the Al-Baha region; Saudi Arabia in 385 participants. To evaluate the knowledge and awareness of OSA, the study utilized a validated and reliable adapted Arabic version of the OSA questionnaire. The degree of consciousness and understanding regarding OSA demonstrated a noteworthy connection with varying levels of education and a favorable family history of OSAS (p<0.05). The regression analyses unveiled that people with a familial OSA background had a 2.565-fold increased likelihood of identifying daytime fatigue as a symptom of OSA (p<0.05). The study reported an insufficient level of awareness and knowledge of OSA among the Saudi Arabian population. Various factors, including gender, education, and family history of OSA, may affect the awareness and knowledge of this condition.