Burden of chronic diseases and associated risk factors among adults in Saudi Arabia: results from a national telephone survey

BACKGROUND: Chronic diseases are the leading causes of death and disability, and their care consumes a large proportion of healthcare expenditures. Early detection and appropriate management of chronic diseases can significantly mitigate their health, societal, and economic consequences. Monitoring the national prevalence of chronic diseases and their risk factors is essential to inform health policy and guide public health interventions. METHODS: The Saudi national Health INdicators survEy (SHINE) aimed to assess the prevalence of selected non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and their risk factors among adults in Saudi Arabia. The SHINE was a national telephone-based survey conducted in 2023 by the Saudi Public Health Authority. Participants aged 18 years or older were randomly selected from a national sampling frame of cell phone numbers, encompassing all administrative regions of Saudi Arabia. Data were collected on the prevalence of NCDs, including hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, renal disease, and asthma, as well as risk factors such as obesity and tobacco use. Multivariable regression analyses were conducted to assess associations between risk factors and NCDs. RESULTS: The total sample size was 2,650 participants. Hypertension and diabetes were the most commonly reported chronic conditions, with a national prevalence of 16.1% and 13.0%, respectively. Approximately 10% of the population reported having been diagnosed with two or more chronic conditions. Obesity was reported by 32.8% of the population, and tobacco use was reported by 24.9%. Body mass index was the strongest independent predictor of self-reported diagnosed diabetes, hypertension, asthma, and multimorbidity after adjustment for sociodemographic characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: NCDs impose a significant health burden on the Saudi population, particularly among aging Saudi nationals. Continuous monitoring of the prevalence of chronic diseases and their risk factors is vital to inform and optimize national prevention efforts.