title: Knowledge, perspectives and attitudes about allergen-specific immunotherapy for respiratory allergic disease among paediatricians in Turkey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Allergen-specific immunotherapy (ASI) is the only effective treatment for allergic respiratory diseases which has the potential to change the natural course of the disease. In this present study we aimed to evaluate the paediatricians' knowledge, perspectives and attitudes about ASI for allergic respiratory diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted between September 2014 - January 2015. A survey of 25 questions assessing paediatricians' knowledge, perceptions and attitudes about ASI was developed by an expert panel and applied by physicians in hospitals in Izmir, Turkey, where the paediatricians work. Data were recorded in SPSS for Windows v.16. Descriptive statistics, chi square analysis was used. P<0.05 was considered as significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fully completed surveys from 180 paediatricians were analysed. The respondent paediatricians had an age of 37±8.2 years, and 56 of them were male. The majority of the respondents (n: 146) were working fewer than five years as a paediatric specialist. 93.9% of the paediatricians believed that ASI was effective for the treatment of allergic respiratory diseases. There was satisfactory knowledge of the characteristics, aims, effects and limits of ASI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ASI is generally well-known and accepted among paediatricians. A better synergy between paediatricians and paediatric allergy specialists can provide more use of this treatment method for allergic respiratory diseases in childhood.
authors.affiliation: Dokuz Eylul University, Department of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology. Electronic address: drsakinekar83@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Işık
authors.affiliation: Dokuz Eylul University, Department of Pediatrics.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Çağlar
authors.affiliation: Dokuz Eylul University, Department of Pediatrics.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Eroğlu-Filibeli
authors.affiliation: Dokuz Eylul University, Department of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology.
authors.forename: Ş
authors.initials: Ş
authors.lastname: Çağlayan-Sözmen
authors.affiliation: Dokuz Eylul University, Department of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Arıkan-Ayyıldız
authors.affiliation: Dokuz Eylul University, Department of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Asilsoy
authors.affiliation: Dokuz Eylul University, Department of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Uzuner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000072223:Allergists; D003888:Desensitization, Immunologic / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D008297:Male; D000072143:Pediatricians / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012130:Respiratory Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Allergen specific immunotherapy; Allergic rhinitis; Asthma; Attitude; Children; Knowledge; Paediatricians; Perception; Questionnaire