A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY OF HEALTH STUDENTS' KNOWLEDGE OF AND ATTITUDES TOWARDS THE PUBLIC HEALTH MODEL IN REACTION TO THE SAUDI HEALTHCARE REFORM
Main Article Content
Keywords
cross-sectional, health, students' knowledge, attitudes towards, public health model, reaction, Saudi healthcare reform
Abstract
Context: The health industry in Saudi Arabia is undergoing a notable shift, with a focus on the public health model. This paradigm is a population-based strategy for disease prevention and control, and pandemics and infectious outbreaks like COVID-19 highlight the significance of it. The purpose of this study was to evaluate Jazan health students' knowledge of and attitudes towards the public health paradigm. Methods: An online cross-sectional survey was used in this investigation. Using Google Forms, data were gathered from November 3–18, 2020. With a final sample of 425 individuals, convenience sampling was applied. Findings: The public health model was recognised by the majority of participants (71%) and received an average score of 11.36 out of 16. The results of multiple regression analysis showed a substantial correlation between the participants' demographics—gender, study major, year of study, and prior public health training—and the public health model's awareness level. Individuals with public health training completion (β = 0.220) scored higher on awareness tests than non-completion. However, compared to the reference group (Addayer College nursing), participants from the public health (β = −0.342), medicine (β = 0.164), and nursing in Jazan (β = 0.128) domains showed greater awareness of the public health paradigm. The Addayer region is situated in the northeastern rural area of Jazan. Furthermore, the public health model was more familiar to final-year students (β = 0.113) than it was to the reference group (year 2 pre-final students). Compared to male participants, female participants (β = −0.142) showed less awareness of the public health paradigm. The majority of participants (95.3%) thought that improving people's health required the use of clinical care and public health models. Nonetheless, 4.7% of participants said that public health was less important than clinical healthcare. In conclusion, in order for health students to embrace the proposed changes to the health system, they must comprehend and value the public health model, since they will be the future providers of healthcare. In comparison to students in other health-related majors, it is advised to assess how the education and training received by public health, medical, and nursing students in Jazan affects their comprehension of and opinions on the public health paradigm.
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References
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