Abstract
Background: Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is the most common cause of peripheral vestibular vertigo worldwide.
Objectives: to evaluate overall knowledge and perception about the disease among the different demographics of the population in Taif city.
Methods: a cross-sectional community-based study was done and data was collected via a self-administered Google form questionnaire in Taif city, Saudi Arabia. Data about demographics, knowledge about symptoms of BPPV and how to improve this knowledge were collected.
Results: The study included 290 participants; 43.1% were females, 48.3% of them were (18 - 25) years old and 67.6% were university educated. Most (85.9%) of our participants had a history of chronic diseases, 75.9 % of our participants felt dizzy before, 24.1% had a history of Otitis media, and 1.7 % had a history of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). Participants agreed that vertigo is a serious illness, an infectious disease, a rare disease, caused by head trauma, caused by vitamin deficiency, is idiopathic, and lasts from seconds to minutes with a percent of (19.7%, 17.6%, 37.2%, 13.1%, 16.2%, 14.1%, 8.6%, 5.2%) respectively. From the participants' point of view, awareness can be improved by health practitioners, social media, spreading awareness in companies, spreading awareness in schools, the television, by parents with percentage of (23.6%,28.0%, 11.6%, 20.2%, 16.4%, 0.1%) respectively.
Conclusion: A low level of knowledge about vertigo was found among the studied sample. Education level was associated with knowledge level, thus awareness campaigns should be done to raise awareness about BPPV.