Knowledge about multiple sclerosis among Palestinian community dwellers in the West Bank

Abstract

Aim Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a central nervous system degenerative disease that can lead to life-long disability. The global prevalence of the disease has risen significantly. However, there is a lack of studies to assess this problem in Arab countries, including Palestine. Thus, this study aimed to determine the Palestinian community dwellers’ knowledge about MS in the West Bank. Subjects and methods A cross-sectional, descriptive correlational design was conducted in Jenin Governorate in West Bank. The data were collected using the Multiple Sclerosis Knowledge Questionnaire (MSKQ-25) in addition to demographic characteristics. A total of 715 community dwellers responded to the study during the period from February to April 2022. Results Findings demonstrated that Palestinian community dwellers reported a low level of knowledge about multiple sclerosis, in which 74.0% were within the poor knowledge range. There was a significant difference in knowledge about multiple sclerosis according to educational level (p < 0.05). Conclusion Knowledge about multiple sclerosis was below normal among Palestinian community dwellers, thus there is a need to improve their knowledge about multiple sclerosis by implementing various strategies and interventions, including use of public awareness campaigns through various media ensuring reliable information reach the public regarding early detection and management of this serious disease.