Assessing Physicians' Diagnostic Practices on Foodborne Illnesses in Saudi Arabia: A Cross Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Foodborne illnesses are significant public health issues given they contribute to increasing the global burden of diseases. Incidents of Food-borne diseases are increasing due to the presence of newly emerging pathogenesis. Appropriate diagnostic practices among physicians reduce the magnitude of the problem nationally. Therefore, the aim of the current study is to evaluate the diagnostic practices of Foodborne illnesses among public and private primary health care physicians in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted in thirty public and private primary health care centers in the city of Abha during the period of October 2017 to March 2018. A structured questionnaire was developed based on the previously published literature and was used to collect the data related to the diagnostic practices among the physicians. Results: One hundred and twenty-five physicians participated in this study. Approximately 49% of the physicians had ‘adequate’ diagnostic practicing skills. No significant difference in diagnostic practice of food-borne illness between the public and private health care physicians. However, the study found a positive correlation between the level of clinical practice, age, gender, area of speciality, years of experience and the number of patients per week. Conclusion: Given that the diagnostic practice skills among physicians were ‘adequate’, there has been a recommendation for newly hired physicians to enroll in a diagnosis and management of Foodborne diseases training program to improve their diagnostic practices.