Knowledge, attitude and practices of physicians in management of asthma according to GINA guidelines.

Abstract

Background of the Study: Asthma is a chronic airway disease that has a significant impact on patients with substantial global socioeconomic burden. Appropriate knowledge by health care practitioners is important in the management of asthma.

Objective: To determine the knowledge about the management of asthma according to GINA guidelines among health care professional working at Tertiary Care Hospitals of Karachi.

Study Design: Cross sectional study.

Place and Duration of Study: Study was conducted at Department of Pediatrics, Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, Karachi in the period of Six months from October, 2021 till April, 2022.

Material & Methods: Data was prospectively collected from 97 HCPs’ after taking a verbal consent. Quantitative data was presented as simple descriptive statistics giving mean and standard deviation and qualitative variables was presented as frequency and percentages. Effect modifiers were controlled through stratification to see the effect of these on the outcome variable. Post stratification chi square test was applied taking p-value of ≤0.05 as significant.

Results:  A total of 97 HCPs’ were included in this study. 56 (57.7%) were male and 41 (42.3%) were female. Out of 97 HCPs’, knowledge about management of Asthma according to GINA guidelines showed 45 (46.4%), 25 (25.8%) and 27 (27.8%) had good, moderate and poor knowledge respectively.

Conclusion: There was good knowledge of epidemiology and clinical features of asthma, but a small number of the doctors had knowledge of pathophysiology and treatment of the disease. For best practices in asthma management, there is a need for further education.