Knowledge, attitude and practice of general practitioners and pediatricians regarding food allergy in Iran

Abstract

BackgroundFood allergy is a common disorder affecting up to 8% of children around the world. Normally, general practitioners and pediatricians are the first practitioners to see food-allergic patients. Consequently, these doctors’ awareness about the presentation, diagnosis and management of food allergies is vital, as is their knowledge about the best practical methods for the prevention and treatment of systemic near-fatal reactions due to food allergy. We sought to determine the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of general practitioners and pediatricians regarding food allergy in our environment. Methods and materialsIn this observational KAP study, 105 general practitioners and pediatricians were enrolled and their knowledge, attitude and practice in the food allergy field were determined by means of a questionnaire. ResultsIn the survey, low, medium, and high levels of knowledge were seen in 4.8%, 59%, and 36.2% of the participants, respectively. Physicians’ knowledge levels were significantly correlated with their medical specialty. Attitude was appropriate in 86.7% of the participants and practice was positive in 75.2%. Medical specialty had a significant effect on physicians’ practice regarding food allergy (P=0.007). Extensive knowledge and positive practice were significantly more frequent in pediatricians in comparison with general practitioners. ConclusionThe survey showed the knowledge, attitude and practice of Iranian pediatricians and general practitioners regarding food allergy to be suboptimal. This finding underlines the importance of organized re-education to upgrade the knowledge, attitude and practice of clinical practitioners.