Parental perspectives on non-operative management of simple appendicitis in children: a survey-based study in Saudi Arabia

Abdullah M. Alshalawi; Saad M. Alharthi; Anas A. Faydh; Basil Gh. Alzahrani; Tamer M. Abd-Elrahman

doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1736365210

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Original Article
Online Published: 10 Feb 2025

IJMDC. 2025; 9(2): 388-395

doi: 10.24911/IJMDC.51-1736365210

Parental perspectives on non-operative management of simple appendicitis in children: a survey-based study in Saudi Arabia

Abdullah M. Alshalawi, Saad M. Alharthi, Anas A. Faydh, Basil Gh. Alzahrani, Tamer M. Abd-elrahman.

Abstract
Objective: This study aimed to investigate Saudi parents’ perspectives on the non-operative management (NOM) of simple appendicitis in their children, aiming to inform clinical practices and decision-making.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted from January to August 2024 among 1,100 Saudi parents of children aged 5 to 18 years. The survey included quantitative and qualitative questions addressing treatment preferences, knowledge, and concerns regarding appendicitis management. A pre-educational and post-educational assessment was utilized to gauge shifts in attitudes following the presentation of updated treatment information.
Results: A total of 1,077 parents (97.9% response rate) participated in the study. Initially, 77.5% favored surgical intervention, while only 13.6% supported antibiotic treatment. Post-education, the preference for surgery decreased to 29.2%, with 42.1% favoring antibiotics alone. Concerns about recurrent appendicitis and potential worsening of the condition were prevalent among participants. Additionally, 55.9% expressed unwillingness to participate in a hypothetical research trial comparing treatment approaches. Conclusion: The findings highlighted significant parental apprehension regarding NOM of appendicitis, primarily driven by fears of complications and recurrence. Educational interventions can positively influence treatment preferences, increasing acceptance of antibiotics as a primary treatment.

Key words: Appendicitis, non-operative management, Saudi Arabia, parental perspectives, decision-making

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How to Cite this Article

Pubmed Style

Alshalawi AM, Alharthi SM, Faydh AA, Alzahrani BG, Abd-elrahman TM. Parental perspectives on non-operative management of simple appendicitis in children: a survey-based study in Saudi Arabia. IJMDC. 2025; 9(2): 388-395. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1736365210

Web Style

Alshalawi AM, Alharthi SM, Faydh AA, Alzahrani BG, Abd-elrahman TM. Parental perspectives on non-operative management of simple appendicitis in children: a survey-based study in Saudi Arabia. https://www.ijmdc.com/?mno=236772 [Access: March 17, 2025]. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1736365210

AMA (American Medical Association) Style

Alshalawi AM, Alharthi SM, Faydh AA, Alzahrani BG, Abd-elrahman TM. Parental perspectives on non-operative management of simple appendicitis in children: a survey-based study in Saudi Arabia. IJMDC. 2025; 9(2): 388-395. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1736365210

Vancouver/ICMJE Style

Alshalawi AM, Alharthi SM, Faydh AA, Alzahrani BG, Abd-elrahman TM. Parental perspectives on non-operative management of simple appendicitis in children: a survey-based study in Saudi Arabia. IJMDC. (2025), [cited March 17, 2025]; 9(2): 388-395. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1736365210

Harvard Style

Alshalawi, A. M., Alharthi, . S. M., Faydh, . A. A., Alzahrani, . B. G. & Abd-elrahman, . T. M. (2025) Parental perspectives on non-operative management of simple appendicitis in children: a survey-based study in Saudi Arabia. IJMDC, 9 (2), 388-395. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1736365210

Turabian Style

Alshalawi, Abdullah M., Saad M. Alharthi, Anas A. Faydh, Basil Gh. Alzahrani, and Tamer M. Abd-elrahman. 2025. Parental perspectives on non-operative management of simple appendicitis in children: a survey-based study in Saudi Arabia. International Journal of Medicine in Developing Countries, 9 (2), 388-395. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1736365210

Chicago Style

Alshalawi, Abdullah M., Saad M. Alharthi, Anas A. Faydh, Basil Gh. Alzahrani, and Tamer M. Abd-elrahman. "Parental perspectives on non-operative management of simple appendicitis in children: a survey-based study in Saudi Arabia." International Journal of Medicine in Developing Countries 9 (2025), 388-395. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1736365210

MLA (The Modern Language Association) Style

APA (American Psychological Association) Style

Alshalawi, A. M., Alharthi, . S. M., Faydh, . A. A., Alzahrani, . B. G. & Abd-elrahman, . T. M. (2025) Parental perspectives on non-operative management of simple appendicitis in children: a survey-based study in Saudi Arabia. International Journal of Medicine in Developing Countries, 9 (2), 388-395. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1736365210

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