COPD care in Saudi Arabia: physicians' awareness and knowledge of guidelines and barriers to implementation

• Published in: The international journal of tuberculosis and lung disease Vol. 21; no. 5; pp. 592 - 595
• Main Authors: Alsubaiei, M. E., Frith, P. A., Cafarella, P. A., Quinn, S., Al Moamary, M. S., McEvoy, R. D., Effing, T. W.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: France International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease 01-05-2017; International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (IUATLD)
• Subjects: Adult; Awareness; Barriers; Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Guideline Adherence; Guidelines; Health Care Surveys; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Knowledge; Lung diseases; Male; Medical personnel; Obstructive lung disease; Physicians; Physicians - standards; Physicians - statistics & numerical data; Practice Guidelines as Topic; Practice Patterns, Physicians' - standards; Practice Patterns, Physicians' - statistics & numerical data; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - therapy; Saudi Arabia; Saudi Arabia
• ISSN: 1027-3719; 1815-7920
• DOI: 10.5588/ijtld.16.0656

OBJECTIVE: To assess Saudi physicians' awareness and knowledge about chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) guideline recommendations.METHODS: Cross-sectional study including physicians involved in COPD care in five hospitals in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. The level
of physicians' knowledge was considered as satisfactory (score > 80%), fair (score 50-80%) or poor (<50% of total score).RESULTS: Among the 44 physicians included in the study, the mean ± standard deviation knowledge score was 29.5 ± 4.2 out of 45 points (65.5%).
Most physicians appeared to be unaware of any COPD guidelines (n = 27, 61.4%), and reported not adhering to guidelines (n = 28, 63.6%).CONCLUSION: Saudi physicians' knowledge about Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease guidelines was assessed as fair. It
is therefore highly recommended to increase physicians' awareness and knowledge about COPD-related guidelines.