Awareness of parents about shaken baby syndrome in Makkah, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Background and aim: Shaken baby syndrome (SBS) also known as (abusive head trauma) is a common disease that occurs in infants which may causes serious complications and high risk of infant mortality rates, especially if not discovered and treated appropriately. Parents' education should not be overlooked, as parental awareness about how to detect and prevent SBS is an important factor to reduce the burden of this condition. This study aims to assess parental awareness about SBS symptoms, complications and prevention methods in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using an online self-administered questionnaire to collect data about SBS from parents in Makkah city, Saudi Arabia. Parents in Makkah city with internet accessibility were the target population. Data collection was done through data collectors who distributed the questionnaire on social media platforms. Results: Out of 385 respondents to our questionnaire, 27% of them were between 40 to 49 years old. The majority of the study participants are females (62.9%). 249 (64.7%) participants did not hear or read about SBS before. Participants´ sources of information were primarily from social media platforms (20.8%), followed by friends and relatives (8.3%). Approximately 28.3% of participants believed that domestic violence was a risk factor for SBS. Meanwhile 70.6% of them did not know the causes of SBS. Conclusion: The majority of the participants demonstrated a lack of information regarding SBS risk factors, complications and prevention methods. Thus, it is essential to reinforce their knowledge to help reduce the incidence and burden of this condition.

Assessing Awareness, Knowledge, and Attitude of Saudi Mothers Regarding Shaken Baby Syndrome in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Prospective Study

“…Another study by AlOmran et al also reported that 33.6% of participants thought that shaking babies is harmful and 41.9% were unsure of it [ 2 ]. Also, according to a survey conducted in Tabuk City in 2018, 67.39% of participant parents were unaware of the dangers of shaking babies, and in Makkah, it was noticed that most participants had never heard about SBS and those who were aware of it their sources were not reliable or trusted [ 5 , 16 ]. Furthermore, a survey conducted in Egypt reported that the majority of mothers (80%) did not know about SBS, while only 20% did [ 6 ].…”

Awareness of Shaken Baby Syndrome among Saudi Nursing Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…Similarly, Al Omran et al [ 19 ] reported that 80.0% of parents in Saudi Arabia shook their infants to calm them when they were crying and 14.0% shook their infants when playing with them. Other studies conducted in Saudi Arabia have found that parents have limited awareness of child abuse in general [ 16 , 20 ] and SBS in particular [ 17 , 18 , 19 , 21 , 22 ].…”

“…Alshahrani and colleagues [ 18 ] reported that 70.0% of their respondents had never heard of SBS, and 67.0% were unaware of the risks associated with shaking an infant and the relationship between shaking infants and causing them harm. Felemban et al [ 22 ] found that 65.0% of parents in Saudi Arabia had never heard of or read about SBS and 71.0% did not know the cause of SBS. Alzahrani et al [ 17 ] determined that 69.0% of parents surveyed were not aware of SBS.…”