Patient-Reported Outcome Measures for Chronic Disease in Saudi Arabia: Diabetes and Hypertension Pathways
Why PROMs matter for diabetes and hypertension care in Saudi Arabia, what the local evidence shows, and a five-step pathway design.
Key takeaways
- In the Saudi Health Survey, 13.4% of people aged 15 and over had diabetes, and 57.8% of them were undiagnosed.
- National survey data indicates that only 34.8% of people with hypertension in Saudi Arabia are aware of their condition.
- Patient-reported outcome measures complement clinical chronic disease data by capturing daily functional impact, treatment sustainability, and quality of life.
Reviewed by the CareSync Medical Team · Last reviewed
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Diabetes and hypertension are among the most common chronic conditions in Saudi Arabia, and both are frequently undiagnosed or poorly controlled. Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) give these pathways something clinical readings alone cannot: a direct account of how the condition affects the patient's daily life, which can guide treatment decisions and show whether care is working from the patient's point of view.
Key takeaways
- The patient population is large. In the Saudi Health Survey, 13.4% of people aged 15 and over had diabetes, and 57.8% of them were undiagnosed.
- Hypertension awareness is a defined gap. A national survey found that only 34.8% of people with hypertension knew they had it.
- Diabetes prevalence, age 15+13.4%
- Diabetes cases undiagnosed57.8%
- Hypertension prevalence (crude)12.69%
- People with hypertension who are aware34.8%
Sources: Saudi Health Survey; Kingdom's 2019 Global Health Survey.
- Experience and outcome measures are linked. A Saudi study of 594 people with diabetes in Ministry of Health primary care centres in Jeddah explored the relationship between patient-reported experience measures and outcome measures, concluding that integrating both into routine diabetes care supports value-based care delivery.
- Validated tools exist, but condition-specific coverage is uneven. Arabic EQ-5D is validated for general health-related quality of life; diabetes- or hypertension-specific measures may need separate confirmation.
- Remote monitoring data complements, not replaces, PROMs. Clinical readings show control; PROMs show how the patient experiences that control.
Why pair PROMs with chronic disease management?
| What clinical data shows | What PROMs add |
|---|---|
| Blood pressure or HbA1c value | How symptoms, fatigue or side effects affect daily function |
| Whether the target is met | Whether the patient experiences the treatment as sustainable |
| Change between visits | Quality of life from the patient's perspective over time |
| Adherence inferred from prescriptions | Reasons for non-adherence as reported by the patient |
What does the Saudi evidence suggest about diabetes and hypertension outcomes?
| Finding | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Diabetes prevalence and awareness | 13.4% prevalence among adults 15+; 57.8% of cases undiagnosed | Saudi Health Survey |
| Hypertension prevalence and awareness | Crude prevalence 12.69%; only 34.8% of those affected are aware | Kingdom's 2019 Global Health Survey |
| Experience-outcome link in diabetes | A relationship between experience and outcome measures in primary care diabetes patients | Jeddah primary care study, 594 patients |
| Remote monitoring effect on blood pressure | Pooled systolic reduction of about 5 to 6 mmHg with teleconsultation | Meta-analysis in Chronic Illness, 2025 |
What does a good chronic disease PROMs pathway include?
| Component | What good looks like |
|---|---|
| Instrument selection | A validated Arabic instrument suited to the condition (generic or disease-specific) |
| Collection points | At diagnosis or enrolment, then at defined intervals — not only during crises |
| Pairing with clinical data | PROMs results reviewed alongside blood pressure, HbA1c or other readings |
| Clinical response | A defined process for what happens when PROMs scores decline |
| Patient feedback | Showing patients their own trend, not just collecting data from them |
| Governance | Consent aligned with the Personal Data Protection Law, given the sensitivity of health data |
A five-step plan for diabetes and hypertension pathways
- Choose a validated instrument. Confirm Arabic validation for your specific population before launch.
- Set collection points tied to the care calendar. Diagnosis, medication changes and routine follow-ups are natural moments.
- Pair PROMs scores with clinical readings. A falling PROM score with stable readings is a signal worth investigating.
- Define the response pathway. Agree in advance what a low PROM score triggers: a call, a review, an escalation.
- Report trends to patients and clinicians together. Patients who see their own progress are more likely to stay engaged.
How CareSync helps
CareSync is a white-label digital health ecosystem developed in Riyadh. CareSync Network and CareSync Clinic are designed to deliver PROMs questionnaires alongside reminders and follow-ups for chronic disease pathways, in Arabic and English, with results visible to the care team. Instrument selection, licensing and clinical response protocols remain the treating provider's responsibility.
Frequently asked questions
Should PROMs be collected for every diabetes patient? Many programmes start with a defined group, such as the newly diagnosed or those undergoing treatment changes, before expanding.
How often are PROMs collected in chronic disease? At defined points tied to the care pathway, usually at enrolment and at routine follow-up intervals — not only when a problem appears.
Do PROMs replace HbA1c or blood pressure readings? No. They complement clinical readings by capturing the patient experience that readings alone do not show.
Is there a validated Arabic PROM specific to diabetes or hypertension? Generic tools such as Arabic EQ-5D are validated; confirm the availability of a disease-specific instrument for your population before use.
What happens when a PROM score declines? A pre-agreed, defined clinical response, so that a decline triggers a call or review rather than being recorded without action.
Can PROMs data from chronic disease pathways support research? It can, when patients give separate, informed consent for research use, in line with the Personal Data Protection Law.
Hear what the numbers do not show
Diabetes and hypertension control looks different from inside the clinic and from inside the patient's daily life. PROMs close that gap when paired with clinical data and a defined response.
Designing a chronic disease PROMs pathway? Book a demo with CareSync.
About CareSync
Prepared by the CareSync Medical Team. This article is educational, not medical advice or a substitute for clinical, legal or regulatory review. Research findings are source-specific, not measured CareSync outcomes.
Sources
- Saudi Health Survey. Status of the diabetes epidemic in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
- Prevalence and risk factors of hypertension in Saudi Arabia.
- Value in Health Regional Issues. PREMs and PROMs among patients with diabetes in Saudi Arabia.
- Managing cardiovascular risk factors with telemedicine in primary care, Chronic Illness, 2025.
- Validity and reliability of the Arabic version of the EuroQOL (EQ-5D).