Knowledge and Performance of Iranian Internists Regarding Dyslipidemia According to Lipid Guidelines and their Relationships with Personal and Occupational Characteristics

Abstract

Background: Lipid metabolism disorders are among the most common metabolic diseases that are increasing globally and are associated with chronic metabolic disturbances. The present study aimed to determine the knowledge and practice of internal medicine physicians concerning lipid disorders according to the AHA, AACE, ESC-EAS, and NCEP-ATP-III guidelines. Methods: This descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study selected a convenience sample of 220 internal medicine specialists from January through September 2021 in Tehran and some other Iranian cities. A 25-item researcher-designed questionnaire was used. Suggested scenarios were designed by emphasizing the points of difference in the guidelines. Content validity was approved by 10 tenured faculty members, and reliability was tested with the test-retest method. Results: Women comprised 60% of the population. In addition, 3.2% (n=7) of the physicians had poor knowledge, 95.0% (n=209) had moderate knowledge, and 1.8% (n=4) had good knowledge of lipid disorders based on international guidelines. Moreover, performance regarding lipid disorders was poor in 25 (11.4%), moderate in 164 (74.5%), and good in 31 (14.1%) physicians. The knowledge score decreased, whereas the practice score increased with age. The knowledge score of female physicians was significantly higher than that of their male counterparts. The knowledge score was negatively correlated with the physician’s years of experience. Conclusion: The knowledge and performance of internists regarding dyslipidemia were rated moderate according to the AHA, AACE, ESC-EAS and NCEP-ATP III guidelines.