Prevalence and awareness of varicose veins among teachers in Abha, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Background: Teachers, compelled by the nature of their profession, are required to stand for a significant amount of time. This prolonged standing, being one of the risk factors for venous insufficiency, puts them at risk to develop varicose veins. Hence, as there is a need to educate and sensitize the teachers. This study was carried out to investigate the prevalence and awareness regarding varicose veins in school teachers. Methods: A cross sectional, questionnaire based study was carried out on 391 school teachers of the Aseer region, KSA, after obtaining ethical committee clearance and informed consent. Questions included personal, occupational, and varicose vein based questions. Responses were collected and analyzed using SPSS version 25.0 software. Frequencies and percentages were calculated. Results: Forty two percent of the teachers were found to have varicose veins most of which were females. Around 62% of the teachers suffering from varicose veins were between 36 and 45 years of age. Participants who did regular exercises were less prone to varicose than irregularly exercising participants (P = 0.0001). No association was observed between smoking and varicose veins (odds ratio 0.15, 95% confidence interval 0.05–0.44). Conclusion: Due to high prevalence of varicose veins among teachers, it is necessary to spread awareness regarding varicose veins among them and sensitize them with the methods to prevent its formation.