Assessment of knowledge and prevalence of fibromyalgia among medical students and physicians in Riyadh region

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background: Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition that is characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain and tenderness of soft tissue. The prevalence of FM in Saudi Arabia is not known. The diagnosis of FM is mainly clinical. The knowledge about fibromyalgia is poor, even among healthcare providers. Aim: To assess the knowledge and prevalence of fibromyalgia among medical students and physicians in the Riyadh region. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at all medical colleges in Riyadh and Riyadh hospitals. The study was conducted on both medical students and physicians using a questionnaire. The SPSS program was used to analyze the data. Results: A total of 556 participants were involved; 56.5% heard about fibromyalgia, and only 5.6% attended Continuing Medical Education (CME) activity. There were 31.5% had high knowledge, whereas 68.5% had low knowledge. The level of knowledge was associated with the year (P = 0.002), specialty (P = 0.013), hearing about fibromyalgia (P = 0.0001), attending lectures (P = 0.009), and being aware of diagnostic criteria (P = 0.0001). Conclusion: The prevalence of FM was high, and there was poor knowledge among medical students and physicians regarding fibromyalgia.