Knowledge about obstructive sleep apnea among medical undergraduate students: A long way to go!

Awareness and attitude among general dentists and orthodontists toward obstructive sleep apnea in children

Aim

This study aimed to investigate Italian dentists' knowledge of and attitudes toward obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in children.

Methods

An anonymous questionnaire was prepared using Google Forms and sent to dentists in Italy through private social platforms. The first part of the questionnaire contained basic demographic data questions, and the second part included items about pediatric OSA.

Results

A total of 125 responses were collected within 1 month. The interviews revealed gaps in undergraduate and post-graduate training on OSA, and consequently, low self-evaluation of knowledge and self-confidence in managing young patients with OSA. Dentists showed unfavorable attitudes and poor knowledge of the general findings, risk factors, and consequences of pediatric OSA but demonstrated good knowledge of the beneficial effects of rapid maxillary expansion. Orthodontists showed a more favorable attitude and better recognition of the craniofacial features associated with OSA. In addition, a comparison was made between dentists who had graduated more than 5 years ago and new graduates, and differences were found in undergraduate education, which was better for new graduates, and a small number of questions were better answered by experienced dentists.

Conclusion

This study showed a lack of knowledge about pediatric OSA and its management among Italian dentists, revealing the need to update the dentistry curriculum and organize educational interventions.

Knowledge, Awareness, and Attitude Regarding Obstructive Sleep Apnea Among Primary Healthcare Physicians in the Al-Baha Region of Saudi Arabia

INTRODUCTION

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a clinically significant disorder that requires attention from healthcare professionals. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, awareness, and attitude of primary healthcare physicians regarding OSA in Saudi Arabia.

METHODOLOGY

A cross-sectional observational study design was employed from January 18, 2023, to August 18, 2023, focusing on primary healthcare physicians practicing in the Al-Baha region of Saudi Arabia. The survey included questions related to knowledge, awareness, and attitudes toward OSA, using the Obstructive Sleep Apnea Knowledge and Attitude (OSAKA) questionnaire for OSA, and demographic information. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were used to analyze the data.

RESULTS

A total sample size of 174 primary health care physicians was collected, where the majority of participants were male (101, 58.0%), and the mean age of the participants was 32.73 years (SD = 9.14). The item with the most correct answers was "The majority of patients with obstructive sleep apnea snore" (150, 86.2%). On the other hand, the item with the lowest number of correct answers was "Laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty is an appropriate treatment for severe obstructive sleep apnea" (17, 9.8%). The majority of participants agreed that it is essential for physicians to know about OSA as a clinical disorder (161, 92.5%). However, when it came to screening all patients for possible OSA, there was a higher proportion of participants who disagreed or strongly disagreed (111, 63.8%). In general, the majority of participants had a low level of knowledge (109, 62.6%). Gender was significantly associated with both knowledge (p = 0.021) and awareness (p = 0.039), as well as nationality (knowledge (p = 0.012) and awareness (p = 0.039)), and specialty training, which was significantly associated with both knowledge (p = 0.000) and awareness (p = 0.002).

CONCLUSION

Although all participants acknowledged that OSA is a clinical disease, their perspectives on screening and levels of confidence in utilizing screening techniques varied. While the participants exhibited commendable understanding in the majority of domains, there were some facets of OSA in which they lacked expertise.

Association between knowledge and attitudes towards pediatric obstructive sleep apnea and dental specialty

OBJECTIVE

To associate the knowledge and attitudes about Pediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea (POSA) with the specialty of dentists in Metropolitan Lima, Peru.

METHODS

A cross-sectional, analytical observational study was carried out during 2021-2022. Two hundred and ten orthodontists and pediatric dentists were surveyed using the adapted and validated Spanish translation of the OSAKA-KIDS questionnaire and additional sociodemographic questions.

RESULTS

The data indicated an association between dental specialty and the professional's knowledge about POSA. Orthodontists were 59% less likely to have acceptable knowledge, compared to pediatric dentists (p = .013, IC 95% 0.21-0.83). The study revealed an association between the professional's attitudes and three intervening variables: age (p = .025), clinical experience (p = .049) and sector of practice (p = .020).

CONCLUSION

Knowledge was associated with the dental specialty of professionals in the sample included, whilst attitudes were not.