title: Medical Student Knowledge of Neglected Tropical Diseases in Peru: A Cross-Sectional Study.
abstract: In developing countries, education to health-care professionals is a cornerstone in the battle against neglected tropical diseases (NTD). Studies evaluating the level of knowledge of medical students in clinical and socio-demographic aspects of NTD are lacking. Therefore, a cross-sectional study was conducted among students from a 7 year-curriculum medical school in Peru to assess their knowledge of NTD by using a pilot survey comprised by two blocks of 10 short questions. Block I consisted of socio-demographic and epidemiological questions whereas block II included clinical vignettes. Each correct answer had the value of 1 point. Out of 597 responders (response rate: 68.4%), 583 were considered to have valid surveys (male:female ratio: 1:1.01; mean age 21 years, SD ± 2.42). Total knowledge showed a raising trend through the 7-year curriculum. Clinical knowledge seemed to improve towards the end of medical school whereas socio-demographic and epidemiological concepts only showed progress the first 4 years of medical school, remaining static for the rest of the curricular years (p = 0.66). Higher mean scores in socio-demographic and epidemiological knowledge compared to clinical knowledge were seen in the first two years (p<0.001) whereas the last three years showed higher scores in clinical knowledge (p<0.001). In conclusion, students from this private medical school gained substantial knowledge in NTD throughout the career which seems to be related to improvement in clinical knowledge rather than to socio-demographic and epidemiological concepts. This study assures the feasibility of measuring the level of knowledge of NTD in medical students and stresses the importance of evaluating education on NTD as it may need more emphasis in epidemiological concepts, especially at developing countries such as Peru where many people are affected by these preventable and treatable diseases.
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Medicina Alberto Hurtado, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru; Instituto de Medicina Tropical Alexander von Humboldt, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.
authors.forename: Renato A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Errea
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Medicina Alberto Hurtado, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru; Instituto de Medicina Tropical Alexander von Humboldt, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vasquez-Rios
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Medicina Tropical Alexander von Humboldt, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru; Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America.
authors.forename: Jorge D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Machicado
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Medicina Alberto Hurtado, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.
authors.forename: Maria Susana
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Gallardo
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Medicina Alberto Hurtado, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.
authors.forename: Marilhia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cornejo
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Medicina Alberto Hurtado, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.
authors.forename: Jorge F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Urquiaga
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Medicina Alberto Hurtado, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Montoya
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Medicina Alberto Hurtado, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.
authors.forename: Rodrigo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zamudio
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Medicina Tropical Alexander von Humboldt, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.
authors.forename: Angelica
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Terashima
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Medicina Tropical Alexander von Humboldt, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru; Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, United States of America.
authors.forename: Luis A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Marcos
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Medicina Alberto Hurtado, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru; Instituto de Medicina Tropical Alexander von Humboldt, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.
authors.forename: Frine
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Samalvides
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D058069:Neglected Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D010568:Peru; D011361:Professional Competence; D013337:Students, Medical; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014329:Tropical Climate; D055815:Young Adult