ArticleFrontiers in public health2026
Human immunodeficiency virus knowledge, attitudes, and testing behaviors among adults in Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional analysis to inform public health strategies.
Article in Frontiers in public health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Introduction: The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has experienced a notable increase in HIV infections in recent years, with limited epidemiological and behavioral data from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, including Saudi Arabia. This study aimed to address the critical knowledge gaps by examining HIV-related knowledge, attitudes, and testing behaviors among adults in Saudi Arabia to inform culturally appropriate public health interventions. Methodology: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among adults from various regions of Saudi Arabia. Data were collected using a validated electronic Arabic-language questionnaire that assessed socio-demographic characteristics, objective HIV knowledge, self-perceived knowledge, attitudes towards people living with HIV (PLWHIV), history of testing, exposure to health education, and perceptions of societal stigma. A total of 475 eligible respondents were considered in the analyses. Results: The overall mean HIV knowledge score was 6.62 ± 2.44. Although 364 (76.6%) of participants identified the primary modes of HIV transmission, 209 (44.0%) perceived HIV as a fatal disease. Furthermore, 258 (54.3%) of respondents perceived Saudi society as "not accepting" of people living with HIV (PLWHIV), and 285 (60.0%) considered discussions about HIV to be culturally sensitive. The rate of voluntary HIV testing was low. The predominant reason cited was "testing was unnecessary". However, among those who had never been tested, 177 (54.5%) expressed willingness to undergo testing if it were provided free of charge and confidential. Majorities of respondents supported the integration of HIV-related information into educational curricula (93.5%). Higher educational attainment ( Discussion: This study confirms substantial gaps in comprehensive HIV knowledge, persistent societal stigma, and low uptake of voluntary HIV testing among adults in Saudi Arabia. Despite these challenges, there is a considerable public support for expanding HIV education and improving access to testing services. The findings highlight the urgent need for culturally sensitive, evidence-based public health strategies that address knowledge deficits, reduce stigma, and promote widely accessible HIV testing services. Strengthening these efforts is essential to accelerate Saudi Arabia's progress toward achieving the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What Socratic holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.