Physician Knowledge Research Articles

Knowledge, attitudes, and practice of physicians and pharmacists regarding the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular toxicity associated with cancer treatment

This study aimed to explore physicians’ and pharmacists’ knowledge, attitudes, and practice (KAP) regarding the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular toxicity associated with cancer treatment. A multicenter cross-sectional study included physicians and pharmacists between April 2023 and June 2023. The study included 918 participants (514 physicians and 404 pharmacists). The average scores of knowledge, attitudes, and practice were 11.6 ± 3.39, 24.7 ± 2.6, and 26.3 ± 6.8 points. Sufficient knowledge was significantly associated with age ≥ 41 years (odds ratio (OR) = 2.745, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.086–6.941, P = 0.033), male (OR = 2.745, 95% CI 1.150–2.223, P = 0.005), bachelor’s degree (OR = 0.084, 95% CI 0.013–0.533, P = 0.009), master’s degree and above (OR = 0.096, 95% CI 0.015–0.609, P = 0.013), physician occupation (OR = 7.601, 95% CI 1.337–43.207, P = 0.022), pharmacy department (OR = 18.858, 95% CI 3.245–109.57, P = 0.001), oncology department (OR = 4.304, 95% CI 2.426–7.634, P < 0.001), cardiology department (OR = 3.001, 95% CI 1.387–6.492, P = 0.005), hospitals located in Eastern China (OR = 1.957, 95% CI 1.120–3.418, P = 0.018), and hospitals located in Western China (OR = 3.137, 95% CI 1.783–5.518, P < 0.001). Positive attitudes were significantly associated with a senior professional title (OR = 2.989, 95% CI 1.124–7.954, P = 0.028) and hospitals located in Eastern China (OR = 0.424, 95% CI 0.257–0.698, P = 0.001), Western China (OR = 0.231, 95% CI 0.136–0.394, P < 0.001), and Southern China (OR = 0.341, 95% CI 0.198–0.587, P < 0.001). Proactive practice was significantly associated with male (OR = 1.414, 95% CI 1.029–1.943, P = 0.033), senior professional title (OR = 3.838, 95% CI 1.176–12.524, P = 0.026), oncology department (OR = 3.827, 95% CI 2.336–6.272, P < 0.001), and cardiology department (OR = 2.428, 95% CI 1.263–4.669, P = 0.008). Both physicians and pharmacists had positive attitudes toward the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular toxicity associated with cancer treatment, while their knowledge and practice were not as proactive.

Experıences Of Emergency Physıcıans On Scorpıon Stıngs

INTRODUCTION and PURPOSE: This study aims to evaluate the level of knowledge and approaches of emergency physicians about scorpion stings. MATERIALS and METHODS: In the study, aquestionnaire including 16 questions was administered to emergency physicians about their titles, length of service in the emergency department, geographical region and institutional information, experiences with scorpion stings, treatment approaches, and hospitalization information of the patients. RESULTS: A total of 282 physicians participated in the study. In emergency medicine physicians (EMPs), regularly checking the availability of scorpion antivenom (p=0.01), taking precautions for complications before antivenom administration (p=0.03), and preferring intravenous (IV) route for scorpion antivenom administration were found to be significantly higher compared to other title groups. Needing consultation before scorpion antivenom (p=0.01) and recommending antibiotic prophylaxis to sting patients (p=0.02) were significantly lower in EMPs compared to other title groups. 31.7% (n=26) of general practitioners administered antivenom "half to the wound edge/half intramuscularly", which is significantly higher compared to other groups (p=0.01). Hospitalization problems in sting cases were most frequently experienced in university hospitals (p= 0.01). DISCUSSION and CONCLUSION: Our study indicated errors in managing scorpion sting patients and antivenom use. The necessity of reorganization of vocational and undergraduate training should be evaluated.

Cutaneous T cell Lymphoma in Skin of Color: A Review.

People of color (POC) affected by skin cancer suffer disproportionately from worse morbidity and mortality. Although skin cancers occur most frequently in White individuals overall, cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) is an exception. CTCL is a rare skin cancer comprising several subtypes of non-Hodgkin lymphoma; each contains a unique clinical profile that varies with race. Our aim is to review and compile the differences in epidemiology, clinical presentation, treatments, and outcomes of the CTCL subtypes in Black, Asian or Pacific-Islander (API), and Hispanic patients. The current literature supports that there are nuances in the course of CTCL that differ with race. Across multiple studies, racial differences in incidence patterns have been reported, with the highest rates among Black patients. Cutaneous manifestation of CTCL are highly variable in POC, and the predilection for clinical CTCL variants often differs with race, as well as severity of cutaneous involvement (BSA). Response to and type of treatment also differs among POC, and may be partially attributable to the varying CTCL subtypes experienced by certain races. Prognostic factors tend to vary with race, although Black patients consistently experience poor outcomes, while API patients may have a more favorable prognosis. Currently, there is no definitive conclusion to account for differences observed in CTCL skin of color patients, however biologic and socioeconomic factors have been proposed as potential drivers. As POC comprise an increasing portion of our population, adequate physician awareness and knowledge of racial nuances in CTCL are necessary to begin addressing these disparities.

Assessing the knowledge, attitude, and practice of frontline physicians in Egyptian university hospitals regarding pharyngitis and acute rheumatic fever: a cross-sectional study that calls for action

BackgroundAcute rheumatic fever (ARF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD) remain major public health issues. Although the primary and secondary prevention of RHD through appropriate management of bacterial pharyngitis and ARF are well-described in the literature, few studies address the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of developing countries. We aimed to evaluate the KAP of the frontline physicians in Egyptian university hospitals regarding pharyngitis and ARF.MethodsWe employed a cross-sectional design between September 1st, 2022, and January 31st, 2023 using a self-administered questionnaire in 21 Egyptian universities. The questionnaire was developed based on previous studies and recent guidelines and included four domains: sociodemographic data, knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding pharyngitis and ARF. We utilized both online (Google Forms) and paper surveys. Frontline physicians, including interns, residents, and assistant lecturers, were conveniently invited to participate. Furthermore, with the help of participating phycisians in recruiting their colleagues, we utilized the snowball method. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 27 software.ResultsThe final analysis included 629 participants, of whom 372 (59.1%) were males and 257 (40.9%) had direct contact with ARF patients. Most participants (61.5%) had a fair knowledge level while 69.5% had a fair level of practice regarding ARF and pharyngitis. Higher satisfactory knowledge levels were noted regarding pharyngitis (17.1% vs. 11.3%; p-value: 0.036) and ARF (26.8% vs. 18%; p-value: 0.008) among physicians dealing directly with ARF cases compared to physicians in departments not dealing directly with ARF cases. Physicians in Cairo region universities had significantly higher levels of satisfactory knowledge about ARF compared to Delta and Upper Egypt region universities (p = 0.014). Delta region universities showed significantly lower levels of practice compared to Cairo and Upper Egypt region universities (p = 0.027). The most frequently recognized barriers against health promotion were low socioeconomic status (90.3%) and lack of adequate public education (85.8%).ConclusionsDespite the fair knowledge and practice levels towards bacterial pharyngitis and ARF among participants, many gaps were still identified that might contribute to RHD prevalence. Educational interventions should be implemented by updating the local guidelines in Egypt for diagnosis and management based on the most recent guidelines.

Metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD): assessing the knowledge and practice of primary care doctors in Seremban District, Negeri Sembilan.

Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is the liver manifestation of metabolic syndrome, which is commonly seen in primary care settings. This study aimed to determine the knowledge and practice of primary care physicians regarding MAFLD in Seremban District, Negeri Sembilan. This cross-sectional study was conducted among medical officers in 14 health clinics in Seremban District, using a validated, self-administered online questionnaire. A total of 240 medical officers from 14 health clinics in Seremban District, participated in this study. Most participants (85.4%) passed the knowledge test. Their practice was acceptable, but only a minority were familiar with non-invasive testing of liver fibrosis (e.g. APRI or FIB-4), medication and specific diet for the treatment of MAFLD. Most primary care physicians in Seremban District are knowledgeable in identifying risk factors and managing patients with MAFLD. However, there are still areas to improve in terms of management, particularly regarding the use of silymarin, vitamin E and pioglitazone.

Enhancing Clinical Relevance of Pretrained Language Models Through Integration of External Knowledge: Case Study on Cardiovascular Diagnosis From Electronic Health Records.

Despite their growing use in health care, pretrained language models (PLMs) often lack clinical relevance due to insufficient domain expertise and poor interpretability. A key strategy to overcome these challenges is integrating external knowledge into PLMs, enhancing their adaptability and clinical usefulness. Current biomedical knowledge graphs like UMLS (Unified Medical Language System), SNOMED CT (Systematized Medical Nomenclature for Medicine-Clinical Terminology), and HPO (Human Phenotype Ontology), while comprehensive, fail to effectively connect general biomedical knowledge with physician insights. There is an equally important need for a model that integrates diverse knowledge in a way that is both unified and compartmentalized. This approach not only addresses the heterogeneous nature of domain knowledge but also recognizes the unique data and knowledge repositories of individual health care institutions, necessitating careful and respectful management of proprietary information. This study aimed to enhance the clinical relevance and interpretability of PLMs by integrating external knowledge in a manner that respects the diversity and proprietary nature of health care data. We hypothesize that domain knowledge, when captured and distributed as stand-alone modules, can be effectively reintegrated into PLMs to significantly improve their adaptability and utility in clinical settings. We demonstrate that through adapters, small and lightweight neural networks that enable the integration of extra information without full model fine-tuning, we can inject diverse sources of external domain knowledge into language models and improve the overall performance with an increased level of interpretability. As a practical application of this methodology, we introduce a novel task, structured as a case study, that endeavors to capture physician knowledge in assigning cardiovascular diagnoses from clinical narratives, where we extract diagnosis-comment pairs from electronic health records (EHRs) and cast the problem as text classification. The study demonstrates that integrating domain knowledge into PLMs significantly improves their performance. While improvements with ClinicalBERT are more modest, likely due to its pretraining on clinical texts, BERT (bidirectional encoder representations from transformer) equipped with knowledge adapters surprisingly matches or exceeds ClinicalBERT in several metrics. This underscores the effectiveness of knowledge adapters and highlights their potential in settings with strict data privacy constraints. This approach also increases the level of interpretability of these models in a clinical context, which enhances our ability to precisely identify and apply the most relevant domain knowledge for specific tasks, thereby optimizing the model's performance and tailoring it to meet specific clinical needs. This research provides a basis for creating health knowledge graphs infused with physician knowledge, marking a significant step forward for PLMs in health care. Notably, the model balances integrating knowledge both comprehensively and selectively, addressing the heterogeneous nature of medical knowledge and the privacy needs of health care institutions.

Addressing musculoskeletal curricular inadequacies within undergraduate medical education

BackgroundMusculoskeletal (MSK) injuries and diseases place a significant burden on the health care system. Despite this, research indicates that physician training in the area of MSK medicine has historically been inadequate, with a majority of medical students feeling that their training in MSK medicine is lacking. The goal of this investigation was to evaluate the efficacy of a new preclinical MSK curriculum that was implemented within a nationally accredited allopathic medical program.MethodsRetrospective analysis was completed on five consecutive years (2017–2021) of preclinical MSK curricular data for 549 medical students, including mid and end-of-course examinations and end-of-course student satisfaction surveys. Both parametric and non-parametric methods of analysis were used to examine within and between class differences (P < 0.05).ResultsThe new MSK curriculum covered 15 of 16 “core or must know” topics in MSK medicine, and academic performance was consistently high over the 5-year period of analysis (final course marks ranged from 76.6 ± 7.1 to 81.4 ± 8.1; failures/year: range from 0 to 4), being equal or above levels of student performance observed for other courses delivered during preclinical studies. Likert data from end-of-course surveys demonstrated that feedback was overwhelmingly positive (overall course satisfaction ranged from a low of 3.07/4.00 to a high of 3.56/4.00) and indicated that students felt that the new preclinical MSK curriculum did effectively support medical student learning and knowledge retention.ConclusionResults are expected to help advance the current body of knowledge that is dedicated to improving physician learning and knowledge retention in the area of MSK medicine and provides a curricular model that could be used by other nationally accredited medical programs to help enhance MSK learning at the preclinical levels of physician training.

Clinical and surgical physician’s perception of nutrition knowledge

BackgroundDue to the significant increase in the prevalence of food-related diseases, the value that physicians place on nutritional advice may have implications for patient treatment. The objective of this study was to evaluate the perception of the importance of nutritional intervention among physicians in the Universidad San Francisco de Quito’s (USFQ) healthcare system.MethodsThis cross-sectional study employed a telephone survey administered to a subset of all medical doctors (MDs) working in the healthcare system clinics of USFQ between 2021 and 2022. Study participants were recruited through voluntary response sample from a complete list of 253 MD. The single time questionnaire consisted of a 22-item validated survey in which attitudes, self-perceived capacity, and knowledge about nutrition ofmedical doctors were evaluated. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, two-sided t test, bivariate associations and linear and logistic regressions.Results136 MDs completed the survey yielding a response rate of 54%. Our analysis grouped participants into clinical (CE) and non-clinical specialties, hereafter referred to as surgical MDs. While a higher percentage of physicians in CE are confident in their ability to provide examples of recommended food portions based on national or international guidelines, 1 in 10 do not know how to use and interpret BMI or waist circumference, and around 1 in 3 do not know how many calories there are in one gram of fat, protein, or carbohydrates, and their basic metabolic functions. Almost all survey participants believe MDs can have an impact on the eating behavior of a patient if time is used to discuss the problem, however, almost half of survey participants believe nutrition counseling is not an effective use of time.ConclusionIt is important to explore the perceptions and self-confidence of physicians around nutrition related issues. Our results demonstrated that nearly 1 in 4 surgical MDs do not feel capable of recognizing nutritional risk in patients, which highlights the essentiality of physicians having an updated understanding of basic nutrition principles. Future research should examine how commonly MDs refer patients to nutritionists/dietitians, as well as strategies for improving physician knowledge on basic nutrition concepts.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice (KAP) Study of Egyptian physicians towards HIV infection: a multicentre study.

In Egypt, there is a paucity of new data regarding awareness of HIV/AIDS among physicians. This study aimed to assess the level of awareness, attitude, practice, and knowledge of a sample of Egyptian physicians regarding HIV regarding natural history, epidemiology, and virology, method of transmission, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, prevention, and management. Sixty-eight Egyptian physicians were enrolled in an observational analytic multicenter cross-sectional KAP study in Egyptian tertiary health care facilities covering different localities, including New Valley University, Assiut University, South Valley University, Helwan University, Alexandria University, Aswan University, and Al-Azhar University. The attitude of physicians towards the privacy of persons living with HIV, was the one with the highest percentage 85.3%. On the other hand, respondents think that only 25% of physicians do not stigmatize HIV patients. Moreover, only 25% of the study group do not stigmatize persons living with HIV. The highest proportion of favorable practice was 39.7% and the lowest was 17.6%. With regard to their knowledge about HIV, the lowest proportion of correct answers to a question was 4.4%, and the highest proportion was 92.6%. Most of the enrolled physicians were found to have a moderate knowledge score, 49/68 (72%). There was a significant difference between different specialties regarding knowledge scores. There are some knowledge gaps among a sample of Egyptian physicians with regard to HIV/AIDS. In addition, Egyptian physicians may have a moderate degree of undesirable attitude and practice toward HIV/AIDS.

Precision in Preservation: Mastering Cadaver Embalming with the Femoral Artery Approach - a technical note.

Human anatomy is a fundamental aspect of a physician's knowledge. While novel technologies offer innovative ways to teach anatomy, cadavers remain an essential component of anatomical education. The quality of specimens begins with well-preserved cadavers, and the chosen vascular access for injection plays a crucial role. Unfortunately, there is a lack of literature regarding embalming procedures, as discourse on such practices could enhance the quality, safety, and effectiveness of anatomical instruction. In this study, a femoral artery approach is described for embalming, which entails a meticulous process of cutting through the skin, navigating through fascias and adipose tissue by means of blunt dissection, ultimately reaching the artery for embalming injection. Tips and techniques pertaining to this technique are provided, including vital details for convenient accessibility and minimal impairment of tissue. The objective of this study is to facilitate anatomists and technicians in the adoption of the femoral artery approach, and to encourage further exploration of alternative embalming methods, thus contributing to the continuous advancement of anatomical sciences.

Comparison of Physicians' Attitudes and Practice Regarding Vaccination during Pregnancy in Turkey.

This study aimed to investigate the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of family physicians (FPs), pediatricians (PPs), and obstetricians and gynecologists (OGs) regarding vaccine administration during pregnancy in Turkey as factors that contribute to decision-making. The survey was distributed among FPs, OGs, and PPs, and participants were asked to rate their knowledge on specific topics using a five-point scale ranging from "Not Effective" to "Effective". The tetanus and diphtheria (Td) vaccine was highly recommended by 94.9% of physicians and considered very effective. Among the physicians surveyed, 80% of PPs and 66.0% of OGs were aware of the disease burden of pertussis. We also found that 74.5% of FPs and 77.2% of PPs believed they needed more information about vaccination during pregnancy. All physicians surveyed agreed or strongly agreed that explaining the disease risks and benefits of vaccination increases the vaccine acceptance rate. The results of this survey study indicate that the knowledge and awareness of physicians need to be improved to increase vaccination rates during pregnancy in Turkey, and it is essential to incorporate influenza and tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (TdaP) vaccines into the standard maternal immunization schedule for newborns.

Knowledge of Patients' Activation Level Changes Expert US Physicians' Communication in GERD Management.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is common. Treatment is to manage symptoms, but medication nonadherence is common. To date, little emphasis has been on understanding patient behaviors and reasons for medication nonadherence. We performed a cross-sectional survey study among expert gastroenterologists specializing in esophageal disease. Survey studies consisted of a 6-item questionnaire measuring physician knowledge of patient activation, the Clinician Support for Patient Activation Measure (CS-PAM), and an adapted 20-item Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care (PACIC). All question stems were specified to GERD management. Thirty-six experts participated. Most indicated hearing the term patient engagement before this survey (88.9%), but fewer were aware of the term patient activation (33.3%). Respondents were then made aware of the clinical significance of patient activation and asked, based on this knowledge, the likelihood that patients' activation level before the clinic would impact their communication. Responses varied between "to a great extent" and "not at all." Overall, CS-PAM activation scores were high, indicating a high level of support for patient activation. Lastly, respondents indicated their frequency of participating in partnership-building behaviors with patients. More than half (52.8%) of expert physicians "almost always" asked how GERD affected their lives, while less often asked patients about their health habits (22.2%), help set specific goals to improve their eating or exercise lifestyle (19.4%), or refer patients to a dietician, health educator, or counselor for their GERD (11.1%). Patient activation is an important strategy and may provide a behavioral approach to address medication adherence in GERD.

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of Japanese physicians relating to climate change impacts on health, delivery of climate-specific advice, and advocacy for climate change policies

Abstract Aim This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of physicians in Japan toward climate change and health, their delivery of climate-specific advice to patients, and their advocacy for climate change policy. Subject and methods This cross-sectional study included licensed physicians active in clinical practice in Japan. Data were collected through a web-based platform from November 21 through November 27, 2023, using a 32-item self-administered questionnaire. Results A total of 1100 physicians with a mean age of 51.2 years (SD11.9) were included in the analysis. More than half (56.7%) agreed that physicians should advise their patients on the links climate change has on their health; however, less than half (32.6%) of the physicians responded that they do. Among the factors that reduced their action to deliver climate-specific health advice and advocacy were a lack of information/resources and knowledge. The multivariable logistic regression model showed that having prior climate change education or training, knowledge, and awareness is associated with physicians’ delivery of climate-specific advice to patients and advocating for climate change policy. Conclusion Many physicians recognize their responsibility to educate their patients on the impact climate change has on their health. There is a significant gap between the physicians’ willingness and what happens in practice. Among the main factors that reduce their action to engage in delivering climate-specific health advice and advocacy were a lack of information/resources and a lack of knowledge. Physicians need to be better equipped with the education, resources, and support to apply their expertise and influence to combat climate change.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors of Family Physicians Towards Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

In our study, we aimed to investigate the knowledge, attitude, and behavior of physicians toward hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). Our study is a cross-sectional study. We included a total of 251 physicians, consisting of Family Medical Specialists, residents of Family Medicine Residency program, contracted residents of Family Medicine Residency program (residents who work actively in primary health units and matched with Family Medicine residency program) and General Practitioners (non-specialized family physicians) working in Ankara, between the dates 01.04.2021 and 26.11.2021. A questionnaire consisting of a total of 51 questions was given to the participants on the internet in order to determine the level of knowledge, attitude and behavior towards HBOT. 251 people, 162 women and 89 men, participated in the study. Of the participants in the study, 137 were residents of the Family Medicine residency program, 57 General practitioners, and 57 Family Medical Specialists. It was observed that 60.2% of the physicians responded with a “no” to the question, “Do you know the indications of HBOT?”. 55% of the physicians did not know about the cost of HBOT therapy. The rate of knowledge of the indication of carbon monoxide poisoning was significantly higher among the physicians who had an HBOT center in their institution (p&lt;0.05). It was observed that 98% of the participants did not know the treatment pressure applied during HBOT, and 97.2% did not know the technique of oxygen administration. While investigating the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors towards HBOT, we observed that our physicians had some deficiencies, even though they had partial knowledge about it. In our study, we saw that our physicians are aware of their lack of knowledge about HBOT and are open to training on this subject. We think that in order to eliminate this deficiency, a course related to this field can be added to either university curricula or specialist training curricula.

The Place and Approaches of Family Medicine Doctors in the Health Management of CBRN Events: The Case of Türkiye

In this study, it was aimed to determine the level of knowledge of Family Medicine residents about Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) events, their risk assessments and their thoughts on the roles that CBRN events can play in healthcare services. As a multi-center and cross-sectional analytical study, 444 family medicine residents at the national level were included in the study via an online survey application method. The data form included a total of 25 questions prepared to evaluate the sociodemographic information of the participants and their evaluation, awareness, knowledge level, approach to events and general opinions regarding CBRN event risks. 91.7% of physicians evaluated their knowledge level as "very little" or "little" and 95.7% evaluated their preparation level as "very little" or "little". 77.3% of physicians think that family physicians should have a role in CBRN incidents. For a possible CBRN event in the next 5 years, physicians predict biological events as the highest risk and nuclear events as the lowest risk. The rate of physicians who stated that they had previously received CBRN training was 17.8%, and the rate of those who participated in the CBRN drill was only 0.9%. While 89.9% of the participants wanted to receive training on health management in CBRN incidents; 80.2% want the training to be included in the specialty curriculum. While the participants' level of knowledge about the symptoms that may develop after a CBRN event is high, when asked about the awareness of CBRN risks around their institutions, 79.3% of physicians stated that they were not aware. It was determined that the level of knowledge, preparation, training, practice and awareness of family physicians regarding CBRN events was low. On the other hand, their willingness to receive training and their belief that they had a role in CBRN incidents were found to be high. According to the data of our study, we evaluate that there is a need for institutional structuring against CBRN risks, including primary health care services, and we suggest that CBRN training modules should be included in specialty curricula, starting from medical faculties.

Insights into the current state of knowledge, practice, and attitudes of physicians regarding gastrointestinal motility disorders in Egypt

BackgroundGastrointestinal (GI) motility disorders are common in clinical settings, but physicians still lack sufficient understanding and effective management of these conditions.MethodsThis research assessed Egyptian physicians’ knowledge, practices, and attitudes towards GI motility disorders. A cross-sectional survey employing a self-administered questionnaire was carried out among physicians in Egypt. The questionnaire addressed various aspects of physicians’ understanding, practices, and attitudes regarding GI motility disorders. Data analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics and presented as frequencies and percentages.ResultsA total of 462 physicians took part in the study. Although nearly two-thirds of them knew about GI motility studies, a notable proportion lacked adequate knowledge about GI motility disorders. Notably, 84.2% correctly identified dysphagia as a critical symptom suggestive of an upper GI motility disorder. However, 13.4% incorrectly linked hematemesis with an upper GI motility disorder, and 16.7% expressed uncertainty. In terms of practice, around half of the participants encountered a small number of patients with GI motility disorders (less than 5 per week or even fewer). Only 29.7% felt confident in managing patients with motility disorders. Most participating physicians expressed a willingness to participate in training programs focused on motility disorders.ConclusionsThis study underscores a knowledge gap among Egyptian physicians concerning GI motility disorders. It suggests the necessity of tailored education and training programs to improve their competency and practice in this domain.

Physicians' knowledge, attitudes and practices on advance care planning for patients with advanced cancer in a National University Hospital in the Philippines.

Advance care planning (ACP) is generally part of patients' rights and decision-making processes. It is a component of the patient-physician care dynamics, especially in the context of life-threatening illness. Little is known about ACP and the utilisation of advance directives in the Philippines, a country of 110 million people. The study aimed to explore the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAPs) of resident physicians in a national university hospital in the Philippines regarding ACP for patients with advanced cancer. Using a cross-sectional design involving resident physicians, an online survey with a self-administered questionnaire was distributed and answered by a total of 202 respondents. Results show that resident physicians generally: (1) view palliative and hospice medicine to be the same and without differences, (2) are comfortable with discussing ACP and prognosis of medical conditions with patients and their families, but (3) do not regularly initiate or offer ACP to them, (4) identify a lack of time, fear of imparting emotional distress to patients and their families and personal discomfort as barriers to conducting ACP and (5) have had no formal training for ACP but are willing to undergo such formation, given the opportunity. This study highlights the continuing need to bridge and unite KAPs pertaining to ACP among physicians. Further studies should be undertaken to device a proper training program and better explore the complexities of end-of-life care as it is experienced by Filipino patients with advanced cancer.

Insight of Al Hijamah Therapy among Allopathic Doctors of Karachi, Pakistan

Aims and objectives: Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) encompasses all forms of therapies that fall outside the mainstream of medical practice. Wet cupping, also known as Al Hijamah therapy, is recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a prominent area within the realm of alternative medicine. Its increasing awareness among general population and misconceptions among allopathic doctors, highlights the need to assess the level of knowledge, attitude, and practices of physicians regarding this therapy to promote it effectively and safely in Pakistan. Methodology: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted from January 2021 to Dec 2022 among allopathic doctors practicing in various hospitals and private clinics of Karachi, Pakistan. The survey was carried out using both hard copy and online questionnaire, which includes four sections: socio-demographics, knowledge of physicians toward cupping therapy, physicians’ attitudes toward therapy, and physicians’ practice toward al hijama therapy. IBM-SPSS version 23.0 was used for data analysis. Results: Out of the 182 responses, 96.7% of the physicians were aware of al Hijamah therapy, 72% expressed a desire to acquire knowledge, 56.6% undergone this therapy and tend to integrate this therapy into their clinical practices. However only 34.8% of the physicians referred their patients to Hijamah therapists. Conclusion: Our research findings suggest that physicians have a sound understanding of al hijama therapy and maintain a positive outlook toward it. Despite their proficiency in this field, physicians encounter obstacles in effectively employing, recommending, or referring patients to this therapy. This study also underscores the importance of integrating CAM education into the medical curricula to address existing knowledge gaps and promote its safe and effective use.

Physicians’ knowledge and attitudes towards telesurgery and its associated factors in a resource-limited setting, Northwest Ethiopia, 2022: a cross-sectional study design

BackgroundTelesurgery has become helpful in overcoming the current shortage of surgeons and reducing the barriers to timely and effective surgical intervention caused by long-distance travel, which is caused by distance,...

Knowledge and acceptance of artificial intelligence and its applications among the physicians working in military medical centers affiliated with Aja University: A cross-sectional study.

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in medical sciences promises many benefits. Applying the benefits of this science in developing countries is still in the development stage. This important point depends considerably on the knowledge and acceptance levels of physicians. This study was a cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study that was conducted on 169 medical doctors using a purposive sampling method. To collect data, questionnaires were used to obtain demographic characteristics, a questionnaire to investigate the knowledge of AI and its applications, and an acceptability questionnaire to investigate AI. For data analysis, SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) version 22 and appropriate descriptive and inferential statistical tests were used, and a significance level of < 0.05 was considered. Most of the participants (102) were male (60.4%), married (144) (85.20%), had specialized doctorate education (97) (57.4%), and had average work experience of 10.78 ± 6.67 years. The mean and standard deviation of knowledge about AI were 9.54 ± 3.04, and acceptability was 81.64 ± 13.83. Multiple linear regressions showed that work history (P = 0.017) and history of participation in AI training courses (P = 0.007) are effective in knowledge and acceptability of AI. The knowledge and acceptability of the use of AI among the studied physicians were at an average level. However, due to the importance of using AI in medical sciences and the inevitable use of this technology in the near future, especially in medical sciences in crisis, war, and military conditions, it is necessary for the policymakers of the health system to improve the knowledge and methods of working with this technology in the medical staff in addition to providing the infrastructure.