Is the knowledge and attitude of physicians in Nigeria adequate for the diagnosis and management of obstructive sleep apnea?
OBJECTIVE
The knowledge and attitude of doctors in Nigeria towards obstructive sleep apnea is not known. We evaluated the level of knowledge and attitude regarding OSA among resident doctors in Internal Medicine and general practitioners in Nigeria.


METHODS
A cross-sectional survey among doctors during continuing medical education programs was conducted. The Obstructive Sleep Apnea Knowledge and Attitude (OSAKA) questionnaire was used to obtain information.


RESULTS
Two hundred seventy-three doctors (235 resident doctors and 38 general practitioners) participated in the study. The mean knowledge score was 10.7 ± 2.6 (out of a maximum possible of 18) for all participants corresponding to 59 ± 14.4 % knowledge. There was no significant difference in the mean score of resident doctors (10.8 ± 2.5) compared to general practitioners (10.0 ± 2.8), (t = 2.6, p = 0.10). Over 70 % of the participants wrongly responded that uvuloplasty was an effective treatment and less than 40 % correctly answered that continuous positive airway pressure treatment was first line for severe obstructive sleep apnea. The mean score on the attitude segment was 3.4 ± 0.6 (maximum possible score of 5) for all participants and 3.4 ± 0.6 and 3.3 ± 0.5, respectively, for the residents and the general practitioners (p = 0.47). Increasing age was negatively associated with level of knowledge, while increasing number of years in medical practice and higher level of residency training was positively associated with higher knowledge scores.


CONCLUSIONS
The knowledge of obstructive sleep apnea among resident doctors and general practitioners in Nigeria is inadequate. There is need to improve training on sleep disorders in Nigeria both at continuing medical education programs and during residency training.
Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Lagos State, Nigeria. ujuozoh@yahoo.com.
Obianuju B
OB
Ozoh
Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Lagos State, Nigeria.
Oluwadamilola O
OO
Ojo
Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Lagos State, Nigeria.
Sandra O
SO
Iwuala
Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Lagos State, Nigeria.
Ayesha O
AO
Akinkugbe
Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria.
Olufemi O
OO
Desalu
Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria.
Njideka U
NU
Okubadejo
D002983:Clinical Competence; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003906:Developing Countries; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing; D058006:General Practice / Q000193:education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D009549:Nigeria; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D056508:Sleep Medicine Specialty / Q000193:education; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
Attitude; Doctors; Knowledge; Nigeria; Obstructive sleep apnea; Residency training