Knowledge, attitude and practice of bariatric surgery among primary care physicians in Riyadh, 2020

Objectives: This study aimed to determine knowledge, attitude and practice of bariatric surgery among PHCP's in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Methods: From September to December 2020, a 43-question questionnaire was developed and delivered to all PHCPs practicing in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, using social sites and participants' emails (n= 202). Results: One hundred thirty people answered. Male respondents made up 84.6 percent of those who assessed their BMI at each visit (p=0.037). Males were also more likely to initiate or refer to bariatric surgery discussions (p=0.001 and p=0.028, respectively). More than half of the participants had little understanding about bariatric surgery, with those older than 30 years old and with more than 5 years of experience having the most knowledge (p= 0.009, p= 0.012). Physicians who encounter patients between 11 and 20 hours each day and work in primary care clinics had a positive attitude (p=0.005, p=0.043). Conclusions: Overall, male participants performed better in primary care for obese individuals. A knowledge gap concerning the function of bariatric surgeries has been discovered, particularly among younger physicians.