The Power of Awareness: A Community-based Intervention for Improving Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Knowledge.

BACKGROUND: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a disabling neuropathy with a growing public health burden, yet community awareness and preventive strategies remain underdeveloped, particularly in non-Western contexts such as the Gulf region. METHODS: A pre-post intervention study evaluated a community-based CTS awareness campaign in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Among 2490 participants, 1051 precampaign respondents were propensity-score matched (1:1) to 1051 postcampaign respondents on key demographics. Knowledge was assessed via a validated 21-item scale (Cronbach α = 0.944) across 3 domains: risk factors, symptoms, and treatment. Statistical analysis used Mann-Whitney U tests and multiple linear regression. RESULTS: The campaign significantly improved median knowledge scores from 9.0 (interquartile range, 8.0-10.0) to 21.0 (interquartile range, 21.0-21.0), representing an increase from 42.9% to 100% accuracy (P < 0.001). Regression analysis confirmed the intervention as the strongest independent predictor of knowledge gain (β = 11.79, P < 0.001), outweighing demographic factors. CONCLUSIONS: Structured educational initiatives effectively bridge knowledge gaps regarding CTS and provide a necessary foundation for behavior change. Although our findings demonstrate a measurable improvement in knowledge, further research incorporating delayed follow-up and direct behavioral outcomes is required before concluding that such campaigns reduce disease incidence. These low-cost, scalable initiatives nonetheless offer a promising model for musculoskeletal health education in the region.