Knowledge, Attitude and Practices Concerning Cosmetic Surgery among Female Medical Students at the University Hospital, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Background: This study investigates the knowledge, attitudes and practices of cosmetic surgery among female medical students at King Saud University (KSU).

Methods: A quantitative observational cross-sectional approach was used to carry out the study at the KSU College of Medicine. A web-based questionnaire was first developed to collect the data necessary to fulfill the objectives of the research. The population under study included a random sample in which the questionnaire was sent to all female medical students at KSU. The sample size was estimated by using a single proportion formula with an acceptable margin of error at 5%. The sample size obtained was 384.

Results: A response rate of 99% was achieved. The mean age of the participants was 20.9±1.48.Out of 381 KSU female medical students in our study, almost all participants (360, 94.5%) have heard about cosmetic surgery. Television was the source of knowledge for more than one third (38%) of participants who had already heard about cosmetic surgery. Just over half (51.4%) of surveyed KSU female medical students recognized the best definition of cosmetic surgery as “a surgery that modifies or improves the appearance of a physical feature electively”. A great majority of participants (86%) reported knowing of a particular type of cosmetic surgery, namely breast augmentation. Almost all participants (92.4%) agreed that “women perform more cosmetic surgery than men”. Only 9% of participants reported undergoing cosmetic surgery, where most of them (19 out of 35) went through laser treatment for the skin and almost the same number had a cosmetic surgery for personal satisfaction.

Conclusion: From this research, we recommend further studies to go beyond educational institutions to the public at large, and to study different sub-populations.