Knowledge, Attitudes, Practices, and Perceptions Towards Conducting Clinical Trials Among Healthcare Providers in Saudi Arabian Military Hospitals: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Background/Objectives: Healthcare providers are important to clinical-trial delivery, but evidence from Saudi Arabian military hospitals is limited. This study described self-reported awareness, attitudes, prior participation, and perceived barriers among healthcare providers working in military hospitals in Saudi Arabia. Methods: This cross-sectional online survey included 355 respondents. Submission timestamps ranged from 11 December 2025 to 17 April 2026. A three-item exploratory index (range 0–5) combined four-category self-reported awareness of the Declaration of Helsinki (scored 0–3) with two yes/no items (scored 0/1 each). Interest in conducting clinical trials (CTs) was assessed with a single yes/no item. Results: Respondents were 80.0% female and 74.65% staff nurses; median age was 37 years (IQR 32–42; valid age records, n = 346). A total of 50.14% reported being not at all aware of the Declaration of Helsinki and 7.04% fully aware. Interest in conducting CTs was reported by 76.34%, whereas 18.31% reported prior CT participation. Commonly reported barriers were lack of awareness of ongoing trials (64.51%), lack of protected research time (51.83%), and shortage of research coordinators (49.01%). The index mean was 2.57 ± 1.07 and showed low internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.23). In a complete-case multivariable model (n = 346), a higher index score was associated with interest in conducting CTs (adjusted OR = 1.53; 95% CI: 1.16–2.02; p = 0.003); prior CT participation was also associated with interest. Conclusions: High stated interest coexisted with limited prior participation. Findings are exploratory and should be interpreted in light of the cross-sectional design, single-item outcome, limited instrument validation, low internal consistency of the index, and incomplete sampling/site documentation.