ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Public Health
Sec. Public Health Education and Promotion
This article is part of the Research TopicExercise Management in Cardiovascular Health: Innovations and ChallengesView all 4 articles
Parental Acceptance of ECG Screening for School-Aged Children: Influencing Factors and Recommendations
Provisionally accepted
- 1College of Medicine, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia
- 2Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University College of Medicine, Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia
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Introduction: ECG screening is vital for the early identification of genetic, congenital, and other cardiovascular conditions in young individuals, potentially reducing the risk of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). This study aims to evaluate parental knowledge and attitudes toward ECG screening and to identify the factors influencing their acceptance or reluctance. Method: A cross-sectional survey was conducted involving 1,137 parents of school-aged children in Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire gathered demographic information, assessed the level of awareness regarding inherited cardiac diseases, and evaluated parental attitudes and perceptions toward ECG screening for children. Results: The findings revealed a significant lack of understanding regarding the effectiveness of ECG in diagnosing inherited cardiac diseases. Only 26.3% of parents were familiar with the concept of ECG screening, while 73.7% were unaware of it. Furthermore, over one-third (35.7%) had no knowledge of ECG, and 48.1% had only heard of it. Notably, 25.6% opposed ECG screening for their children, primarily due to confidentiality concerns (24.1%). Despite these concerns, 46.4% acknowledged the potential benefits of ECG screening in preventing serious cardiac diseases, and 23.4% trusted the test's reliability. Additionally, 42.9% of respondents felt that schools or general practitioners should offer more information regarding ECG testing. Conclusion: The study highlights a critical lack of awareness and understanding of ECG screening among parents, emphasizing the need for enhanced educational initiatives and public awareness campaigns. By improving parental knowledge, acceptance of cardiovascular screening in youth may increase, ultimately contributing to better health outcomes.
Keywords: electrocardiogram, Health Education, school-age, prevention, Parents
Received: 12 Sep 2025; Accepted: 26 Nov 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Elenizi. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Khaled Elenizi
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