Prevalence of Ear, Nose, and Throat Problems in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Abstract

Background Ear, nose, and throat (ENT) disorders are common and significantly impact the quality of life. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of ENT problems among the Saudi population and to explore its association with sociodemographic factors, knowledge, and healthcare utilization. Methodology A cross-sectional study was conducted among 405 participants aged 18-80 years across Saudi Arabia. Data were collected using a self-administered, anonymous electronic questionnaire distributed through social platforms. Data was cleaned on Excel (Microsoft® Corp., Redmond, WA, USA) and analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 27 (Released 2020; IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). Results The study revealed that 38.5% of participants were diagnosed with a chronic ENT condition, with sinusitis being the most common (n = 90, or 22.2%). Chronic nasal congestion (n = 187, or 46.2%), tinnitus (n = 182, or 44.9%), and hoarseness (n = 176, or 43.5%) were the most frequently reported symptoms. Significant differences in total ENT problem scores were observed based on gender, with females having higher median scores than males (p = 0.038). Knowledge of ENT problems was rated as average by 213 (52.6%) participants, with 376 (92.8%) supporting the need for public awareness campaigns. Healthcare utilization showed that 164 (40.5%) sought medical care over the past year, while 178 (44.0%) visited an otolaryngologist for ENT symptoms. Conclusion The study highlights a high prevalence of ENT problems in Saudi Arabia, particularly among the female population. There is a need for targeted public health interventions and educational campaigns to improve the awareness of the population, and to reduce the burden of ENT disorders. Future research should focus on longitudinal studies to explore causal relationships between risk factors and ENT conditions.