Awareness of medical law among health care practitioners in Saudi Arabia

Article Figures & Data

Table 1

- General characteristics of the health profession. Awareness of medical law among healthcare practitioners in Saudi Arabia, 2021.

Variables	n	%
Age
18-24	123	(16.4)
25-34	422	(56.3)
35-44	128	(17.1)
45-54	54	(7.2)
55-64	22	(2.9)
65+	1	(0.1)
Gender
Female	237	(31.6)
Male	513	(68.4)
Nationality
Non-Saudi	87	(11.6)
Specialty
Saudi	663	(88.4)
Dentist	67	(8.9)
Medical doctor	358	(47.7)
Nurse	96	(12.8)
Pharmacist	40	(5.3)
Student	85	(11.3)
Other	104	(13.9)
Regions
Central region	420	(56.0)
Eastern region	50	(6.7)
Northern region	25	(3.3)
Southern region	167	(22.3)
Western region	88	(11.7)
Institution
King Faisal Specialist Hospital	71	(9.5)
Military hospitals	111	(14.8)
Ministry of health hospitals	295	(39.3)
Other	113	(15.1)
Private hospitals	40	(5.3)
Security forces hospitals	16	(2.1)
University hospitals	104	(13.9)
Year in clinical practice
Less than 10 years	616	(82.1)
More than 10 years	134	(17.9)
Professional level
Not a physician	305	(40.7)
Intern	57	(7.6)
Consultant	66	(8.8)
Junior resident	157	(20.9)
Senior resident/registrar	160	(21.4)

Table 2

- Factors affecting awareness of medical law among healthcare practitioners in Saudi Arabia, 2021 (N=750).

Characteristics	Awareness			Total	P-value
Characteristics	Adequate	Moderate	Poor	n (%)
Age
18-24	0	2	121	123 (16.4)	0.009
25-34	3	4	415	422 (56.3)
35-44	3	3	122	128 (17.1)
45-54	4	1	49	54 (7.2)
55-64	1	1	20	22 (2.9)
65+	0	0	1	1 (0.1)
Gender
Female	1	4	232	237 (31.6)	0.302
Male	10	7	496	513 (68.4)
Nationality
Non-Saudi	1	1	85	87 (11.6)	1.0
Saudi	10	10	643	663 (88.4)
Specialty
Dentist	2	2	63	67 (8.9)	0.330
Medical doctor	6	6	346	358 (47.7)
Nurse	1	2	93	96 (12.8)
Other	0	1	103	104 (13.9)
Pharmacist	2	0	38	40 (5.3)
Student	0	0	85	85 (11.3)
Regions
Central region	3	6	411	420 (56)	0.028
Eastern region	0	0	50	50 (6.7)
Northern region	3	0	22	25 (3.3)
Southern region	4	2	161	167 (22.4)
Western region	1	3	84	88 (11.7)
Institutions
King Faisal Specialist Hospital	0	1	70	71 (9.5)	0.704
Military hospitals	3	0	108	111 (14.8)
Ministry of health hospitals	5	5	285	295 (39.3)
Other	3	2	108	113 (15.1)
Private hospitals	0	0	40	40 (5.3)
Security forces hospitals	0	0	16	16 (2.1)
University hospitals	0	3	101	104 (13.9)
Year in clinical practice
Less than 10 years	8	7	601	616 (82.1)	0.133
More than 10 years	3	4	127	134 (17.9)
Professional level of training
Not a physician	6	6	293	305 (40.7)	0.032
Intern	2	0	55	57 (7.6)
Consultant	0	0	66	66 (8.8)
Junior resident	2	4	151	157 (20.9)
Senior resident/Registrar	1	1	158	160 (21.4)

Table 3

- Experience of healthcare practitioners in Saudi Arabia in relation to medical law.

Questions	Response	n	%
Have you ever read “The Saudi Law of Practicing Healthcare Professions 1441H”?	Yes	186	(24.8)
Have you ever studied Saudi medical law during your educational journey?	Yes	248	(33.1)
Have you ever read the “Code Ethics for Healthcare Practitioners” from the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties?	Yes	406	(54.1)
Have you ever been threatened to be sued in Saudi Arabia?	Yes	71	(9.5)
Have you ever been sued in Saudi Arabia?	Yes	18	(2.4)