General Practitioners’ Knowledge and Practices Related to Alopecia Areata in Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia

The study assessed the knowledge and practices of 142 general practitioners in Qassim Province, Saudi Arabia, regarding alopecia areata. It found that while most GPs had good knowledge of AA's causes and risk factors, there were significant gaps and misconceptions, particularly about family history, systemic disease associations, and peak age of occurrence. Many GPs incorrectly linked AA to cosmetics, personal hygiene, and communicability. Treatment practices varied, with corticosteroids being the most commonly prescribed despite limited evidence of efficacy. The study emphasized the need for continuous education and evidence-based treatment protocols to improve GP performance and patient care. The main limitation was the use of a convenience sample, which might limit the generalizability of the results.