Awareness assessment of developmental hip dysplasia among parents in the western region, Saudi Arabia

Background: Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is a broad spectrum of anatomical hip disorders that ranges from subtle dysplasia to an irreducible dislocation. The present study aimed at evaluating the overall knowledge and perception of DDH among the Saudi Arabian population. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the western region of Saudi Arabia in four major cities (Jeddah, Mecca, Al-Taif, and Al-Madinah) from May 2022 to September 2022. The data were collected using a self-administered online questionnaire distributed through social media platforms. All age groups were allowed to participate in this study regardless of gender. Results: A total of 463 participants were involved in this study. Over one-third are between 40 and 59 years old (35.2%). The mean knowledge score about DDH was 4.1 ± 3.5 out of 18 (Range 0-15). The prevalence of DDH among the study participants was 1.1%. Only 16.4% of participants heard about DDH, and more than half revealed that social media was the primary source of information. Moreover, family history was the most commonly recognized risk factor for DDH, and leg length discrepancy was the most frequently reported complication of DDH by our participants. Furthermore, we found that age, geographical distribution, educational level, and participants with children diagnosed with DDH were significantly associated with knowledge about DDH. Conclusion: Our study revealed that the population of the western region of Saudi Arabia showed poor knowledge about DDH. In addition, we found that the prevalence of DDH among the study population was 1.1%. Future research should consider associated factors, and interventions to raise public awareness of DDH should be conducted.