Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to assess the self-reported prevalence of fibromyalgia (FM) and the associated comorbidity burden during a public awareness campaign in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to evaluate the effectiveness of community-based screening.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from March to June 2025 in Riyadh. Adult participants (18 years or older) experiencing chronic pain (more than 3 months) were recruited. Data were collected using a self-administered electronic questionnaire, including the Fibromyalgia Rapid Screening Tool (FiRST) and self-reported diagnoses.
Results: Eighty-six participants (mean age 32 years, 53.5% female) were included. The self-reported FM prevalence was 16.28% (n=14). Compared to participants without self-reported FM, this group showed significantly higher rates of chronic diseases (35.7% vs. 18.1%), chronic pain medication use (57.1% vs. 11.1%), rheumatic diseases (14.3% vs. 1.4%), sleep disorders (92.9% vs. 43.1%), and psychiatric illnesses (35.7% vs. 9.7%) (all p-values less than 0.05). Furthermore, the FiRST tool successfully identified symptomatic individuals, including those without a prior formal diagnosis, demonstrating the campaign's screening utility.
Conclusion: Public awareness campaigns, utilizing accessible screening tools like FiRST, are an effective strategy for identifying individuals with suspected FM, particularly women, who present with a substantial burden of comorbidities. These events are strongly recommended for early detection of FM and associated conditions, which is crucial for improving patient outcomes and quality of life in Saudi Arabia.

Key words: Fibromyalgia, chronic pain, public health, health education, Saudi Arabia.