ABSTRACT
Background: One of the most prevalent pediatric medical conditions is attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It is characterized by symptoms of hyperactivity, impulsivity, and/or inattention. The first people to notice a child's ADHD symptoms are typically their teachers, who may then offer data that are typically helpful in its diagnosis. The purpose of this study was to assess teachers' knowledge of ADHD, its causes and etiology, as well as the key demographic factors that influence said knowledge. Method: The study was conducted among schoolteachers of primary schools located in different regions of Makkah City, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We used a stratified random sampling technique to collect our sample, with the inclusion criteria being teachers who were working in a primary school and who were directly involved in teaching students. Data analysis was performed using the IBM SPSS Statistics software version 21. Results: We received 335 responses to our questionnaire. The age of the participants ranged from 18 to 59 years, with the mean age being 40.2 ± 13.8 years. About 66.9% of teachers were women. Most of the teachers in this sample had a bachelor's degree (73.4%), and only 21.8% had diplomas. Regarding the years of teaching experience, 34.6% had teaching experience exceeding 20 years, whereas 20.6% had less than five years of teaching experience. Regarding general knowledge of the teachers, (5.4%) of the teachers had a good level of knowledge. Only 63.6% of teachers were aware that ADHD students frequently struggled with task and activity organization, and only 7.5% of teachers had good knowledge of ADHD treatment, compared to 40.9% who had a good awareness of symptoms and diagnosis. Only the teachers' education level was significantly associated with their knowledge level of ADHD: 25% of teachers with a postgraduate degree had an overall good level of knowledge versus 2.7% of those with a diploma (P = 0.006). Conclusion: The findings of this study lead to the conclusion that elementary school instructors have an inadequate understanding of ADHD. Some teachers misunderstand the signs and general facts associated with ADHD, thereby indicating the need for further training in this area.
ABSTRACT
Food allergy is a serious and potentially life-threatening medical condition that affects both adults and children. School teachers are considered to be among the first line of defense in identifying and responding to such situations, as 22% of food allergic reactions occur in schools. It is, therefore, important to understand the knowledge and attitudes of school teachers toward food allergy. This study is a descriptive, cross-sectional investigation conducted using an online questionnaire from December 2022 to February 2023. We collected data from 413 primary school teachers in Makkah region, Saudi Arabia. SPSS version 21 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY) was used to analyze the data. Out of 413 teachers who met the inclusion criteria, only 14.5% demonstrated good awareness levels (scoring above 60% on the knowledge questionnaire) regarding food allergy, with young teachers making up the highest proportion as 26.1% of younger teachers had good awareness levels compared to 8.8% of teachers aged 51-60 years (p = 0.012). Additionally, 46.7% of the teachers knew the symptoms of a severe allergic reaction, and only 16.7% knew that they should use an epinephrine pen as the first step in managing a severe allergic reaction. School teachers have insufficient knowledge about food allergies, underscoring the importance of establishing school policies to handle food allergies. Such policies should encompass the adoption of a comprehensive food allergy action plan, training programs for school personnel, and educational campaigns.
