Knowledge of obstructive sleep apnoea in final year medical students and junior doctors‐a multi‐centre cross‐sectional study

Abstract

Background Sleep medicine is an under‐recognised medical specialty in Pakistan and obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) often goes unnoticed. Final year medical students and junior doctors are the primary medical contact to elicit patient history and physical examination. We aimed to measure the current knowledge of OSA amongst the final year medical students and junior doctors at four university teaching hospitals across three large Pakistani cities. Methods Cross‐sectional survey of final year medical students and junior doctors rotating through medical wards of four university teaching hospitals were conducted during August–October 2019. The knowledge section of the OSA knowledge and attitude (OSAKA) questionnaire was used. Descriptive statistics were used to present the data with Chi‐Square test and independent samples student t‐test to compare the differences between individual items and mean scores of the participants, respectively. Results A total 282 final year medical students and 204 junior doctors completed the survey yielding a response rate of 53% for medical students and 97% for junior doctors. The knowledge of sleep apnoea was poor in both groups of participants with a mean score of 7.6 (42%) on the knowledge scale of OSAKA questionnaire. Medical students scored higher on the item related to snoring as the most prevalent symptom in OSA patients when compared to the junior doctors (χ2 = 8.92, P = 0.003). More junior doctors responded correctly about the role of uvulopalatopharyngoplasty in the management of OSA when compared to the medical students (χ2 = 5.14, P = 0.02). Differences in scores of both groups of participants on other items were small and did not reach statistical significance. Conclusion Final year medical students and junior doctors from a sample of four university teaching hospitals in three large cities of Pakistan have limited knowledge about the diagnosis and management of OSA. The observed limited knowledge of OSA may contribute towards under‐diagnosis of this increasingly prevalent medical condition.

Pediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Knowledge and Attitudes of Medical and Dental Students and Fresh Graduates from Saudi Arabia

“…Similar studies which have used OSAKA-KIDS elsewhere reported higher knowledge levels of physicians about pediatric OSA (58.3–66.7%) [ 15 , 27 ] than that reported in the present study (30.5%). Many studies have reported lower knowledge levels of medical students and graduates about OSA than experienced doctors and specialists using the OSAKA questionnaire [ 15 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 27 , 31 , 32 ]. One of those studies reported that knowledge of physicians about pediatric OSA lagged behind that of adults [ 27 ].…”

“…One of those studies reported that knowledge of physicians about pediatric OSA lagged behind that of adults [ 27 ]. This can be attributed to the lack of experience of students and fresh graduates [ 21 , 22 ]. Limited exposure to both didactic and clinical training about pediatric OSA in the undergraduate curricula is another important factor, particularly after considering that around half of the participants in this study (45.4%), regardless of the college type, were unaware if their curriculum included information about pediatric OSA.…”

“…Proper knowledge of physicians and dentists about pediatric OSA should ensure better cooperation and consequently early detection and adequate treatment planning for affected children [ 14 ], to prevent morbidity and sequela and to provide a better quality of life for both the child and his or her family members [ 15 ]. Ensuring adequate undergraduate education would be a good starting point [ 16 , 17 ], particularly after considering the deficiencies in the knowledge of dentists [ 14 , 17 , 18 , 19 ] (as well as physicians and fresh medical graduates) about OSA that have been reported in Saudi Arabia as well as elsewhere [ 2 , 9 , 15 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 ]. Furthermore, comparative studies of knowledge of medical and dental students or even graduates about pediatric OSA are lacking; therefore, this study aimed to assess the knowledge level and attitudes of graduating medical and dental students as well as fresh graduates from Saudi Arabia about pediatric OSA and the relation of their knowledge level to sociodemographic variables.…”

Assessment of Knowledge and Attitudes Regarding Obstructive Sleep Apnea Among Interns, Residents and Medical Doctors of Kathmandu Medial College

“…Studies performed to assess the knowledge of OSA among medical professionals using OSAKA questionnaire have obtained variable results revealing the gap in the knowledge and awareness regarding OSA. [12][13][14] Experienced doctors and specialists have yielded higher score while interns, recent graduates and medical students have got lower score. 12,15,18 In the present study, the respondents obtained mean total knowledge of 9.75 out of 18.…”

“…3,[7][8][9][10][11] It was observed that in four university teaching hospitals, final year medical students and junior doctors had limited knowledge about the OSA diagnosis and management. 12 Wadhwa et al also reported poor knowledge among medical undergraduates about OSA. 13 Another recent study done in Nigeria also documented poor knowledge of OSA among medical doctors.…”