Assessing the Knowledge of Alzheimer's Disease Among Interns from Different Healthcare Professions in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Majed Alharbi^1*Ahmad Almalki¹Bayan Alghamdi¹Aljoharah Almalki¹Nouf Jenaideb¹Shahad Khinkar¹Reem Alharbi²Mohammad Alzahrani³

• ¹Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
• ²Department of Pediatrics, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs (MNGHA), King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
• ³Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif, 21944, Saudi Arabia

Introduction: Alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder affecting memory, thinking, and daily activities. It is the most common form of dementia, and it is crucial for healthcare professionals, especially interns, to have good knowledge about it for early detection and better management. This study aimed to assess the knowledge of Alzheimer's disease among healthcare interns in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using convenience sampling to evaluate the level of knowledge about Alzheimer's disease among health professional interns in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Data were collected using an electronic questionnaire incorporating the Alzheimer's Disease Knowledge Scale (ADKS), which comprises 30 true/false items covering various aspects of Alzheimer's disease. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize participant characteristics and ADKS scores. Differences in ADKS scores across healthcare professions, gender, age groups, and other participant characteristics were assessed using independent t-tests and one-way ANOVA with Tukey's HSD post hoc tests. Univariate and multivariable linear regression analyses were performed to identify predictors of ADKS scores. All analyses were conducted using SAS software version 9.4. Results: The study included 414 interns from different universities in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The majority of participants were women (67.6 %), attended public universities (84.8 %), and had a mean age of 24.1 years (SD = 2.4). The largest group of participants (28.3 %) were studying medicine. The level of knowledge, as measured by the ADKS score, varied across different healthcare professions, and medical students had the highest level of knowledge (19.97 ± 3.2). Regression analysis showed that being male (B = –0.6, p = 0.044), having a relative with Alzheimer's disease (B = 1.1, p = 0.004), and studying medicine compared to allied health sciences (B = 1.7, p < 0.001) were significant predictors of ADKS scores. Conclusion: The interns from various healthcare professions in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia exhibited different levels of knowledge regarding Alzheimer's disease. The interns' knowledge was influenced by factors such as their educational background, exposure to relevant coursework, and personal experiences. These findings emphasize the significance of incorporating extensive educational and training programs related to Alzheimer's disease for healthcare professionals.