title: Assessment of knowledge of celiac disease among health care professionals.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess knowledge of celiac disease among medical professionals (physicians).
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a cross-sectional survey of hospital-based medical staff in primary, secondary, and tertiary care public, and private hospitals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (KSA). We carried out the study between January 2013 and January 2104 at King Khalid University Hospital, King Saud University, Riyadh, KSA. A pretested questionnaire was distributed to the potential participants. A scoring system was used to classify the level of knowledge of participants into 3 categories: poor, fair, and good.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 109 physicians completed the survey and of these participants, 86.3% were from public hospitals, and 13.7% from private hospitals; 58.7% were males. Of the physicians, 19.2% had poor knowledge. Interns and residents had fair to good knowledge, but registrars, specialists, and even the consultants were less knowledgeable of celiac disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Knowledge of celiac disease is poor among a significant number of physicians including consultants, which can potentially lead to delays in diagnosis. Educational programs need to be developed to improve awareness of celiac disease in the health care profession.
authors.affiliation: Prince Abdullah Bin Khalid Celiac Disease Research Chair, King Khalid University Hospital, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. E-mail. prof-asaad@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Asaad M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Assiri
authors.forename: Anjum
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saeed
authors.forename: Elshazaly
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Saeed
authors.forename: Mohammad I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: El-Mouzan
authors.forename: Ahmed A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Alsarkhy
authors.forename: Muath
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Al-Turaiki
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al Mehaideb
authors.forename: Mohsin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rashid
authors.forename: Anhar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ullah
mesh_terms: D002446:Celiac Disease; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D016304:Hospitals, Private; D006779:Hospitals, Public; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D008297:Male; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital / Q000592:standards*; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D063728:Secondary Care Centers; D013038:Specialization; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers