Document Type : Original Article

Authors

• . Mohamad Salim Alkodaymi
• . Bader Abou Shaar
• . Nader Ashraf Fawzy
• Rola Alhabbbash .
• . Abdulrahman Senjab
• . Rawan AlSaoud

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Saudi Arabia aims to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by a combination
of free public healthcare and mandatory cooperative health insurance. To ensure the effectiveness
of UHC policies, every individual should have a strong knowledge of their health‑care rights and the
system that guarantees it.
OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to measure the knowledge of Alfaisal students and record
their perceptions and attitudes about Saudi Arabia’s basic health‑care coverage structure and UHC
policies.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross‑sectional survey was developed with 22 items measuring
knowledge and 7 items evaluating perception and attitudes and distributed through E‑mail with a
consecutive sampling method at Alfaisal University to achieve the required calculated sample size
for March–April of 2020. The accumulated data were organized, tabulated, and statistically analyzed
using SPSS software. Comparison between two groups and more was made using the Chi‑square test.
RESULTS: Students’ self‑reported knowledge on the three main knowledge questions ranged from
30.6% to 57.7%, with medical students admitting to similar or worse knowledge compared to their
colleagues from other colleges. About 57.3% of our respondents believe the Saudi system provides
effective and sufficient healthcare to all, but only 42.7% believe that the system provides financial
protection to all.
CONCLUSION: The study showed a low level of knowledge about Saudi Arabia’s UHC policies
among Alfaisal students, especially among medical students, with a generally positive perception
and attitudes toward them, although with some serious misconceptions that should be addressed.

Keywords

• Health policy
• healthcare
• Universal Health Coverage