Article

Does the Saudi Population Have Sufficient Awareness of

Vitiligo in Southwest Saudi Arabia? A Cross-Sectional
Survey, 2022
Fatmah Ahmed Keraryi 1 , Alhanouf Adel Hadi Hakami 2 , Nouf Adel Hadi Hakami 3, *,
Mohamed Salih Mahfouz 4 and Hadi Adel Hadi Hakami 5

1 Department of Dermatology, Sabya General Hospital, Ministry of Health, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia
2 Jazan General Hospital, Ministry of Health, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia
3 King Fahd Central Hospital, Ministry of Health, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia
4 Department of Family and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University,
Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia
5 Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia
* Correspondence: noadhakami@moh.gov.sa

Abstract: Background: Vitiligo is a common acquired hypopigmentation skin condition defined

by an idiopathic, gradual, and restricted loss of melanin pigment from otherwise healthy-looking
skin. The present study aims to evaluate the knowledge and perceptions of and attitudes toward
vitiligo among the general population of Jazan Province, Saudi Arabia. Methods: An observational
cross-sectional survey targeting adults of the Jazan region was conducted in 2022. The data were
collected using an electronic questionnaire distributed through social media in the region. Statistical
analysis was performed using the SPSS computer program. Knowledge and attitude scores were
Citation: Keraryi, F.A.; Hakami, computed. Results: Most of the respondents (83.7%) had an adequate knowledge level of vitiligo, and
A.A.H.; Hakami, N.A.H.; Mahfouz, almost half of the respondents (46.8%) had a positive attitude toward the disease. The majority of the
M.S.; Hakami, H.A.H. Does the Saudi
respondents (84.5%) knew that vitiligo is not contagious. However, the majority of the participants
Population Have Sufficient
(78.6%) did not know that vitiligo is an autoimmune disease. Most of the respondents (93.1%) do not
Awareness of Vitiligo in Southwest
avoid shaking hands with a vitiligo patient to prevent infection, accept food prepared by a vitiligo
Saudi Arabia? A Cross-Sectional
patient (69.4%), accept sharing a plate with a vitiligo patient (73.6%), and accept to be helped by a
Survey, 2022. Clin. Pract. 2022, 12,
876–884. https://doi.org/10.3390/
vitiligo patient (86.7%). However, about half of the participants (50.4%) refused to marry a person
clinpract12060092 diagnosed with vitiligo. The knowledge of vitiligo in the study population was not correlated with
any of the demographic characters, such as age, gender, education, or occupation (p > 0.05). The most
Academic Editor: Constantin
important factors associated with good attitudes were male gender (COR = 1.92; 95% CI: 1.92–2.84;
Caruntu
p = 0.001) and being aged over 50 years (COR = 3.06; 95% CI: 1.53–6.13; p = 0.002). Conclusions:
Received: 11 October 2022 The population in Jazan had a good level of knowledge of vitiligo and a positive attitude toward
Accepted: 31 October 2022 patients with vitiligo. Social media is the source of information for vitiligo for the majority of the
Published: 4 November 2022 study population. The good attitude toward patients with vitiligo was more prevalent in males and
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral older people. More efforts are needed to improve the knowledge of and attitudes toward vitiligo.
with regard to jurisdictional claims in
published maps and institutional affil- Keywords: vitiligo; skin condition; knowledge; attitudes; Jazan
iations.

1. Introduction
Copyright: © 2022 by the authors.
Vitiligo is a common acquired hypopigmentation skin disorder characterized by
Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
an idiopathic, progressive, and circumscribed loss of melanin pigment from otherwise
This article is an open access article
distributed under the terms and
healthy-looking skin, with a complete absence of functioning melanocytes in microscopic
conditions of the Creative Commons
examination [1–4]. The distribution of macules may be localized or generalized and may
Attribution (CC BY) license (https://
coalesce into wide, depigmented areas. These macules are usually cosmetically disfiguring,
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ especially in individuals with dark skin. Skin lesions are often visible to others, so vitiligo is
4.0/). commonly associated with emotional distress, social stigma, and poor quality of life [5–7].

Clin. Pract. 2022, 12, 876–884. https://doi.org/10.3390/clinpract12060092 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/clinpract

Clin. Pract. 2022, 12 877

The literature suggests that vitiligo is the most common cause of skin depigmentation,
with a worldwide incidence rate ranging from 0.1% to 2% [1,8,9]. The prevalence of vitiligo
is equally distributed in males and females and individuals from different racial, ethnic, or
socioeconomic backgrounds [4]. Vitiligo may occur at any age, but its incidence peaks in the
second and third decades. Among patients with vitiligo, approximately 33% are children,
and 70% to 80% are adults before the age of 30 years [3]. The etiology of vitiligo is not fully
understood, but seems to include an interaction of genetic, neurological, and immunological
factors [1,10]. Patients commonly attribute the onset of their disease to specific events, such
as physical injury, pregnancy, sunburn, or emotional stress. However, at present, there is
no evidence supporting a causative relationship of these factors with vitiligo. The high
frequency of comorbid autoimmune diseases, such as halo nevus and malignant melanoma,
in patients with vitiligo suggests an autoimmune etiology of the disease [4].
Several observational studies have examined the knowledge of and attitudes toward
vitiligo and showed that misconceptions and poor awareness of vitiligo are prevalent
among the public and even patients themselves [9–14]. Although a few studies [13–15] have
been conducted assessing the knowledge of and attitude toward vitiligo in the Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia (KSA), no study has been conducted in Jazan, southwest Saudi Arabia. The
present study aims to evaluate the knowledge and perceptions of and attitudes toward
vitiligo among the general population of Jazan Province, Saudi Arabia, and to explore the
local myths.

2. Materials and Methods

2.1. Ethical Considerations
This study was conducted in accordance with the ethical standards within the political
borders of the KSA and Saudi bioethics and the Declaration of Helsinki. All of the partici-
pants read, understood, and signed a written consent form. The study was approved by
Jazan Health Ethics Committee, Approval No. 2284. The participants were told that they
have the freedom to participate or to withdraw from the study at any time.

2.2. Study Design, Setting, and Population

To examine the knowledge of and attitude toward vitiligo among the general popu-
lation, a descriptive cross-sectional study was used. This study was conducted in Jazan,
southwest Saudi Arabia. The region is the second smallest region in the country and covers
an area of 11,671 km2 with a population of 1,567,547. The study included Saudi adults aged
18 years or older who were willing to take part in the study. Non-Saudi and younger adults
were excluded.

2.3. Sampling Procedure

The sample size was calculated using the Raosoft website. A sample of 480 participants
was estimated for this study; the sample size was calculated using the sample size formula
n = Z21-α P (1 − P)/d2. The following parameters were utilized to calculate the sample size:
prevalence of knowledge P = 50%, confidence interval Z = 95%, error d = not more than 5%,
and a 20% non-response rate (online surveys require a large sample size as the non-response
rate is always high). The sampling plan utilized the administrative distribution of the Jazan
region, with the survey link distributed in each sub-administration unit.

2.4. Data Collection and Study Tool

Questionnaires were designed and sent to experts for content validity before being
administered to the participants. The questionnaires used were standardized for con-
sistency and for reliability and validity purposes in the quantitative analysis. The data
were collected via an online self-administered questionnaire that was sent to the sample
of participants selected through social media platforms. The questionnaire items were
adopted from a previously prepared self-structured validated questionnaire [14]. The
questionnaire included questions related to the sociodemographic characteristics of the
Clin. Pract. 2022, 12 878

participants. Knowledge and perceptions of and attitudes toward vitiligo were assessed
using 17 items in three main categories. Regarding the knowledge items, a score of 10 was
given to each correct response, with incorrect responses being scored 0. A total knowledge
score was computed by summing the individual responses for each participant. Adequate
knowledge was defined as a total score above 50% of the correct responses. Lower scores
indicated inadequate knowledge. Regarding the attitude items, a score of 10 was given for
each positive attitude, and 0 for a negative attitude. A total attitude score was computed
by summing the individual responses for each participant. Participants with scores over
50% were classified as having a good attitude. The tool’s reliability was assessed using
Cronbach’s alpha and revealed a value of 0.60.

2.5. Data Analysis

The computer program IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, version 24.0 (IBM Corp.,
Armonk, NY, USA), was used to enter, organize, tabulate, and analyze the data. The partic-
ipants’ socioeconomic status and demographic data were tabulated, and the percentage
and frequency were calculated. The chi-square test was used to test the significance of the
association of the stated variables. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to
assess the independent predictors among the participants. A p-value of less than 0.05 was
considered statistically significant.

3. Results
A total of 496 participants were approved to fill in a self-administered online question-
naire assessing the knowledge of and attitude toward vitiligo in the Jazan district in the
KSA. Table 1 shows that the study included participants of different ages; about half (49.4%)
were between 31 and 50 years old. Participants with a bachelor’s degree and secondary
education reported higher knowledge scores (M = 71.89, SD = 16.7; M = 71.26, SD = 14.2)
than the other participants, but without statistical significance (p > 0.05). Young participants
(18–30 years) showed higher positive attitude scores (M = 56.13, SD = 20.3) than the other
age groups, but also without statistical significance (p > 0.05).

Table 1. Study participants’ background characteristics and knowledge and attitude scores according
to some selected characteristics (n = 496).

Knowledge Scores Attitude Scores

Variables n %
Mean SD Mean SD
18–30 years 208 41.9 72.48 (16.3) 56.13 (20.3)
Age group (years) 31–50 years 245 49.4 70.36 (15.8) 52.19 (21.2)
>50 years 43 8.7 70.35 (15.2) 46.51 (20.7)
Male 345 69.6 71.70 (16.0) 51.56 (21.2)
Gender
Female 151 30.4 70.20 (15.9) 57.45 (19.6)
Primary 6 1.2 64.58 (14.6) 58.33 (25.8)
Preparatory 22 4.4 64.20 (18.2) 56.82 (18.0)
Education level
Secondary 167 33.7 71.26 (14.2) 50.67 (23.5)
Bachelor 301 60.7 71.89 (16.7) 54.49 (19.4)
Unemployed 211 42.5 71.92 (16.3) 53.97 (20.7)
Occupation
Employed 285 57.5 70.75 (15.7) 52.89 (21.1)
No statistical differences were reported (p > 0.05 for all variables).

Table 2 shows that most respondents (98.2%) had heard about vitiligo before. The
majority of the respondents (84.5%) knew that vitiligo is not contagious. Additionally,
88.1% of the respondents answered “No” when asked whether vitiligo is related to the
ingestion of fish or eggs. However, the majority of the participants (78.6%) did not know
that vitiligo is an autoimmune disease, and 64.7% of the respondents reported that vitiligo
is not a hereditary disease. In addition, 69.8% of them did not know that vitiligo worsens
with psychological stress, and 69% of the study population reported that vitiligo affects
 Table 2 shows that most respondents (98.2%) had heard about vitiligo before. The
majority of the respondents (84.5%) knew that vitiligo is not contagious. Additionally,
88.1% of the respondents answered “No” when asked whether vitiligo is related to the
ingestion of fish or eggs. However, the majority of the participants (78.6%) did not know
that vitiligo is an autoimmune disease, and 64.7% of the respondents reported that vitiligo
Clin. Pract. 2022, 12 is not a hereditary disease. In addition, 69.8% of them did not know that vitiligo worsens 879

with psychological stress, and 69% of the study population reported that vitiligo affects
the social life of patients. Most participants (95.4%) reported that vitiligo is a dangerous
disease.
the socialAbout
life ofhalf of theMost
patients. respondents reported
participants thatreported
(95.4%) there is no treatment
that fora vitiligo.
vitiligo is dangerous
disease. About half of the respondents reported that there is no treatment for vitiligo.
Table 2. Participants’ responses to questions regarding the knowledge of vitiligo.
Table 2. Participants’ responses to questions regarding the knowledge of vitiligo.
Questions Count Percentage
Questions No Count
9 Percentage
1.8%
Have you heard about vitiligo before?
Yes
No 4879 98.2%
1.8%
Have you heard about vitiligo before?
NoYes 487
419 98.2%
84.5%
Is vitiligo contagious?
Is vitiligo contagious? Yes
No 77
419 15.5%
84.5%
Is vitiligo related to the ingestion of NoYes 77
437 15.5%
88.1%
fish or eggs? No
Yes 437
59 88.1%
11.9%
Is vitiligo related to the ingestion of fish or eggs?
NoYes 59
390 11.9%
78.6%
Is vitiligo an autoimmune disease? No 390 78.6%
Is vitiligo an autoimmune disease? Yes 106 21.4%
Yes 106 21.4%
No 321 64.7%
Is vitiligo a hereditary disease?
Is vitiligo a hereditary disease?
No 321 64.7%
Yes
Yes 175
175 35.3%
35.3%
Does vitiligo worsen with psychologi- No 346 69.8%
No 346 69.8%
Does vitiligo worsen with
cal stress? psychological stress? Yes 150 30.2%
Yes 150 30.2%
Does vitiligo affect the social life of pa- NoNo 154
154
31.0%
31.0%
Does vitiligo affect the
tients? social life of patients? Yes 342 69.0%
Yes 342 69.0%
NoNo 473
473 95.4%
95.4%
Is vitiligo a dangerous
Is vitiligo a dangerous disease?
disease? Yes
Yes 2323 4.6%
4.6%
NoNo 258
258 52.0%
52.0%
Is there a treatment
Is there a treatmentforfor
vitiligo?
vitiligo?
Yes
Yes 238
238 48.0%
48.0%

In Figure
In Figure1, 1, the
the graph
graph shows
shows that
that social
social media
media is
is the
the main
main source
source of
of information
information about
about
vitiligofor
vitiligo forthe
the majority
majorityof of the
the study
study population
population (70.4%),
(70.4%), followed
followed by
by journals
journals (21.4%)
(21.4%) and
and
TV(8.3%).
TV (8.3%).

Source of information
8.30%

21.40%
70.40%

Television Journals Social media

Figure1.
Figure 1. Source
Source of
of information
informationon
onvitiligo.
vitiligo.

Table 3 shows that about half of the respondents (46%) reported that vitiligo is a
common disease in the KSA. Most of the respondents (93.1%) do not avoid shaking hands
with vitiligo patients to prevent infection, accept food prepared by vitiligo patients (69.4%),
accept sharing plates with vitiligo patients (73.6%), and accept to be helped by a vitiligo
patient (86.7%). The majority of the participants (76.6%) thought that there was a lack of
awareness regarding vitiligo.
Clin. Pract. 2022, 12 880

Table 3. Participants’ responses to questions regarding the attitudes toward vitiligo.

Questions Count Percentage

No 268 54.0%
Is vitiligo a common disease in the KSA?
Yes 228 46.0%
No 462 93.1%
Would you avoid shaking hands with a vitiligo patient to prevent infection?
Yes 34 6.9%
No 152 30.6%
Would you eat food prepared by a vitiligo patient?
Yes 344 69.4%
No 131 26.4%
Would you share your plate with a vitiligo patient?
Yes 365 73.6%
No 66 13.3%
Would you accept to be helped by a vitiligo patient?
Yes 430 86.7%
No 84 16.9%
Would you accept a vitiligo patient to be an heir?
Yes 412 83.1%
No 250 50.4%
Would you marry a person diagnosed with vitiligo?
Yes 246 49.6%
No 392 94.9%
Is your spouse diagnosed with vitiligo?
Yes 21 5.1%
No 303 89.1%
If you are married, does vitiligo affect your marital life?
Yes 37 10.9%
No 116 23.4%
Do you think that there is a lack of awareness regarding vitiligo?
Yes 380 76.6%

Table 4 shows the association between demographic factors and knowledge status.
More males than females had a high level of knowledge (83.7% compared with 80.8%),
but without statistical significance (p > 0.05). The table further indicates that the knowl-
edge of vitiligo in the study population was not correlated with any of the demographic
characteristics, such as age, education, or occupation (p > 0.05 for all).

Table 4. Association between demographics and knowledge status.

Knowledge Level
p-
Variables Low High
Value
n % n %
18–30 years 34 (16.3) 174 (83.7)
Age group 31–50 years 40 (16.3) 205 (83.7) 0.099
>50 years 7 (16.3) 36 (83.7)
Male 52 (15.1) 293 (84.9)
Gender 0.252
Female 29 (19.2) 122 (80.8)
Primary 2 (33.3) 4 (66.7)
Preparatory 7 (31.8) 15 (68.2)
Education level 0.095
Secondary 22 (13.2) 145 (86.8)
Bachelor 50 (16.6) 251 (83.4)
Unemployed 32 (15.2) 179 (84.8)
Occupation 0.546
Employed 49 (17.2) 236 (82.8)
All participants 81 (16.3) 415 (83.7)

Table 5 shows that the participants’ attitude toward vitiligo is significantly associated
with age (p = 0.004) and gender (p = 0.001). However, the participants’ education level and
occupation have no significant association (p > 0.05) with the attitude toward vitiligo.
Clin. Pract. 2022, 12 881

Table 5. Association between demographics and participants’ attitude toward vitiligo.

Attitude Score
p-
Variables Poor Attitude Good Attitude
Value
n % n %
18–30 years 124 (59.6) 84 (40.4)
Age group 31–50 years 126 (51.4) 119 (48.6) 0.004
>50 years 14 (32.6) 29 (67.4)
Male 167 (48.4) 178 (51.6)
Gender 0.001
Female 97 (64.2) 54 (35.8)
Primary 4 (66.7) 2 (33.3)
Preparatory 14 (63.6) 8 (36.4)
Education level 0.507
Secondary 83 (49.7) 84 (50.3)
Bachelor 163 (54.2) 138 (45.8)
Unemployed 120 (56.9) 91 (43.1)
Occupation 0.161
Employed 144 (50.5) 141 (49.5)
All participants 246 (53.2) 232 (46.8)

The logistic regression analyses for the factors associated with positive attitudes
toward vitiligo are presented in Table 6. The table revealed that the most important factors
associated with good attitudes were male gender (COR = 1.92; 95% CI: 1.92–2.84; p = 0.001)
and an age of more than 50 years (COR = 3.06; 95% CI: 1.53–6.13; p = 0.002).

Table 6. Factors associated with positive attitudes toward vitiligo.

Predictors of Positive Attitudes

Variables 95% CI p-
COR Value
Lower Upper
Gender Male (REF = Female) 1.92 1.29 2.84 0.001
18–30 years REF
Age group 31–50 years 1.39 0.96 2.03 0.081
>50 years 3.06 1.53 6.13 0.002
Primary REF
Preparatory 1.14 0.17 7.69 0.891
Educational level
Secondary 2.02 0.36 11.35 0.423
Bachelor 1.69 0.31 9.38 0.547
Occupation Employed (REF = Unemployed) 1.29 0.90 1.85 0.162

4. Discussion
Vitiligo, a widespread depigmenting skin condition, is estimated to affect between
0.1% and 2% of the global population [14]. The condition is distinguished by a selective loss
of melanocytes, resulting in non-scaly, chalky-white macules [15]. Significant progress has
been made in the knowledge of vitiligo etiology, which is now defined as an autoimmune
disease. Vitiligo is sometimes ignored as a cosmetic issue, although its symptoms can be
psychologically distressing and have a significant impact on everyday life [16].
The emotional impact of vitiligo is significant and well documented [17,18]. The skin
is a crucial part of our connection with the environment, and noticeable skin problems
can restrict healthy psychosocial development due to the stigma associated with these
conditions. Historically, skin illnesses and the people who suffer from them have been
stigmatized [19]. Therefore, the current study aims to evaluate the knowledge and per-
ceptions of and attitudes toward vitiligo among the general population of Jazan Province,
Saudi Arabia.
Clin. Pract. 2022, 12 882

Our results showed that about half of the participants (49.4%) were aged between
31 and 50 years old. The majority of the respondents were males (69.6%) and had a
bachelor’s degree. More than half (57.5%) of the participants were employed. A study
from northern India by Mahajan et al. (2019) found that the onset age of vitiligo ranged
from 6 months to 82 years, with the majority of patients (71.3%) experiencing the condition
before the age of 25 [20]. Another study by El-Husseiny et al. (2021) also documented that
the average onset age of vitiligo in children was 6.18 years, with a mean condition duration
of 2.12 years [21]. A meta-analysis assessing the prevalence of vitiligo by Zhang et al. (2016)
found that vitiligo was more common among females than among males [22].
In addition, our results showed that most of the respondents (98.2%) had heard about
vitiligo before. The majority of the respondents (84.5%) knew that vitiligo is not contagious.
Additionally, 88.1% of the respondents answered “No” when asked whether vitiligo is
related to the ingestion of fish or eggs. In contrast, a study by Fatani et al. (2014) showed
that only 6.9% of the respondents had heard of vitiligo [14]. A cross-sectional study by
Juntongjin et al. (2018) agreed with our findings. The researchers stated that approximately
two-thirds of the participants in the survey were aware that vitiligo does not transfer by
direct touch [23]. Another Turkish study by Topal et al. (2016) also noted that 90% of the
respondents believed that vitiligo was not contagious [24].
The present study also illustrated that the majority of the participants (78.6%) did not
know that vitiligo is an autoimmune disease, and 64.7% of the respondents reported that
vitiligo is not a hereditary disease. In addition, 69.8% of them did not know that vitiligo
worsens with psychological stress, and 69% of the study population reported that vitiligo
affects the social life of patients. Most of the participants (95.4%) reported that vitiligo is a
dangerous disease. About half of the respondents reported that there is no treatment for
vitiligo. A study by Topal et al. (2016) showed that according to 84%, 37%, and 22% of the
participants, respectively, stress, excessive sun exposure, and inheritance were thought to
be causes of vitiligo, while 35% thought that vitiligo had no significant influence on the
quality of life. Thirty-six percent thought that the condition was serious [24].
Moreover, our results indicated that social media is the source of information about
vitiligo in the majority of the study population (70.4%), followed by journals (21.4%) and
TV (8.3%). Algarni et al. (2021) also supported our results. They found that the most
often-mentioned source of information (34.7%) was social media/Internet, followed by
family/friends/acquaintances (30%) [25]. An Ethiopian study by Tsadik et al. (2020)
also mentioned that friends and family were regarded as the most prevalent source of
knowledge regarding vitiligo (70%) [26]. Our current results also showed that about half of
the respondents (46%) reported that vitiligo is a common disease in the KSA. In contrast,
research by Al Shammrie et al. (2017), who studied the pattern of skin diseases in Saudi
Arabia, showed that vitiligo comprised only 7% of skin diseases [27].
In this study, the majority of the respondents (93.1%) do not avoid shaking hands
with vitiligo patients to prevent infection, accept food prepared by vitiligo patients (69.4%),
accept sharing a plate with vitiligo patients (73.6%), and accept to be helped by a vitiligo
patient (86.7%). Most of the participants (94.9%) had no partners diagnosed with vitiligo.
About half of the participants (50.4%) refused to marry a person diagnosed with vitiligo.
However, 89.1% of the study population thought that vitiligo does not affect marital
life. The majority of the participants (76.6%) thought that there was a lack of awareness
regarding vitiligo. A study by Alshammrie et al. (2019) also supported these findings,
showing that the majority of the study participants (73.8%) would refuse to marry a vitiligo
patient [28]. Tsadik et al. (2020) also found that 43.7% do not mind shaking hands with
vitiligo patients, 39.3% would exchange meals with vitiligo patients, and 38.7% would
receive food made by a vitiligo patient [26].
Our results indicated that the knowledge of vitiligo in the study population was not
correlated with any of the demographic characteristics, such as age, gender, education, or
occupation. Juntongjin et al. (2018) also showed that there were no statistically significant
Clin. Pract. 2022, 12 883

associations between the knowledge score and gender, age, marital status, occupation,
education, family members working in the healthcare industry, and monthly income [23].
Furthermore, our results indicated that the attitude of the participants toward vitiligo
was significantly associated with age and gender. However, the education level or occupa-
tion of the participants has no significant association with the attitude toward vitiligo. The
attitude of the participants toward vitiligo is significantly associated with age. It was also
found that a good attitude toward vitiligo is more often found in older participants than in
younger ones. The attitude of the participants toward vitiligo was significantly associated
with gender. A hospital-based study by Asati et al. (2016) supports these findings. The
researchers found that males, younger age groups, married people, and those who work in
healthcare or are jobless had considerably higher attitude scores. Female gender was the
only other significant indicator with a low attitude score [11].
Our research has some limitations that should be reported. First, the study is an
observational cross-sectional survey, so the associations revealed by this study should be
interpreted with caution. Second, the study was conducted using a web-based survey,
which decreases the generalization of the study outcomes.

5. Conclusions
In conclusion, our study found that the people of Jazan had a high level of knowledge
of vitiligo and good attitudes toward vitiligo patients. The majority of the study population
regarded social media as the primary source of knowledge of vitiligo. The majority of those
surveyed were aware that vitiligo is not contagious. The study population’s knowledge of
vitiligo was not associated with any of the demographic parameters, such as age, gender,
education, or occupation. The participants’ attitudes toward vitiligo were substantially
related to their age and gender. Males and older adults had a more positive attitude toward
vitiligo patients.

Author Contributions: Conceptualization, F.A.K., A.A.H.H. and N.A.H.H.; methodology, F.A.K.,

A.A.H.H., N.A.H.H. and M.S.M.; software and validation, F.A.K., A.A.H.H. and N.A.H.H.; formal
analysis, F.A.K., A.A.H.H., N.A.H.H. and M.S.M.; investigation, F.A.K., A.A.H.H., N.A.H.H. and M.S.M.;
resources, F.A.K., A.A.H.H. and N.A.H.H.; data curation, F.A.K., A.A.H.H., N.A.H.H. and H.A.H.H.;
writing—original draft preparation, F.A.K., A.A.H.H., N.A.H.H. and M.S.M.; writing— review and
editing, F.A.K., A.A.H.H., N.A.H.H. and M.S.M.; visualization, F.A.K., A.A.H.H., N.A.H.H. and M.S.M.;
supervision, F.A.K. and M.S.M.; project administration, F.A.K., A.A.H.H. and N.A.H.H.; funding acqui-
sition, F.A.K., A.A.H.H. and N.A.H.H. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of
the manuscript.
Funding: This research received no external funding.
Institutional Review Board Statement: The study was conducted according to the guidelines of the
Declaration of Helsinki and approved by approved by Jazan Health Ethics Committee, Approval
No. 2284.
Informed Consent Statement: Informed consent was obtained from all subjects involved in the study.
Data Availability Statement: Not applicable.
Conflicts of Interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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