title: Attitudes of Saudi Arabian Undergraduate Medical Students towards Health Research.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to evaluate attitudes, perceptions and perceived barriers towards health research among Saudi Arabian undergraduate medical students.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study took place between August and October 2014 and included 520 students from five medical schools across Saudi Arabia. An anonymous online survey with 21 close-ended questions was designed to assess students' attitudes towards research, contribution to research-related activities, awareness of the importance of research, perception of available resources/opportunities for research, appreciation of medical students' research contributions and perceived barriers to research. Responses were scored on a 5-point Likert scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 401 students participated in the study (response rate: 77.1%). Of these, 278 (69.3%) were female. A positive attitude towards research was reported by 43.9% of the students. No statistically significant differences were observed between genders with regards to attitudes towards and available resources for research (P = 0.500 and 0.200, respectively). Clinical students had a significantly more positive attitude towards research compared to preclinical students (P = 0.007). Only 26.4% of the respondents believed that they had adequate resources/opportunities for research. According to the students, perceived barriers to undertaking research included time constraints (n = 200; 49.9%), lack of research mentors (n = 95; 23.7%), lack of formal research methodology training (n = 170; 42.4%) and difficulties in conducting literature searches (n = 145; 36.2%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Less than half of the surveyed Saudi Arabian medical students had a positive attitude towards health research. Medical education policies should aim to counteract the barriers identified in this study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Education, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia;
authors.forename: Sara M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Al-Hilali
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia;
authors.forename: Eman
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Al-Kahtani
authors.affiliation: Department of Research, King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia;
authors.forename: Babar
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zaman
authors.affiliation: Department of Research, King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia;
authors.forename: Rajiv
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Khandekar
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia;
authors.forename: Abdullah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Shahri
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia;; Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: Deepak P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Edward
keywords: Attitudes; Medical Education; Medical Students; Perceptions; Research; Saudi Arabia