Assessment of physicians’ and senior medical students’ knowledge in treatment of patients with community-acquired pneumonia: Current results of the KNOCAP project

Roman A. Bontsevich; Tatiana S. Filinichenko; Anna A. Gavrilova; Natalia Y. Goncharova; Olena V. Myronenko; Olga G. Kompaniets; Elena V.  Luchinina; Tatiana M. Shagieva; Oxana G. Ni; Galina G. Ketova; Ekaterina V. Eliseeva; Guzel M. Bikkinina; Maxim L. Maximov; Olga A. Osipova; Kristina V. Shchurovskaya; Alexander A. Leonov; Elena V. Milutina; Valeriya O. Barysheva; Daniel K. Ofori

doi:10.3897/rrpharmacology.4.29454

Authors

Roman A. Bontsevich Outpatient Clinic “Garmoniya Zdorov’ya” LLC “MAKSBelmed” https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9328-3905
Tatiana S. Filinichenko Outpatient Clinic “Garmoniya Zdorov’ya” LLC “MAKSBelmed” https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6719-6226
Anna A. Gavrilova Outpatient Clinic “Garmoniya Zdorov’ya” LLC “MAKSBelmed” https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4335-5165
Natalia Y. Goncharova Voronezh State Medical University named after N.N. Burdenko https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4113-5206
Olena V. Myronenko Dnipropetrovsk Medical Academy (State Establishment) https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3514-3338
Olga G. Kompaniets Kuban State Medical University https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9449-9241
Elena V. Luchinina Saratov State Medical University named after V. I. Razumovsky https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3120-8491
Tatiana M. Shagieva Outpatient Clinic “Garmoniya Zdorov’ya” LLC “MAKSBelmed” https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5866-7615
Oxana G. Ni Kuban State Medical University https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0994-0579
Galina G. Ketova South Ural State Medical University https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4678-6841
Ekaterina V. Eliseeva Pacific State Medical University https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6126-1253
Guzel M. Bikkinina Bashkir State Medical University https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0116-5128
Maxim L. Maximov Kazan State Medical Academy https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8979-8084
Olga A. Osipova Outpatient Clinic “Garmoniya Zdorov’ya” LLC “MAKSBelmed” https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8670-5201
Kristina V. Shchurovskaya Outpatient Clinic “Garmoniya Zdorov’ya” LLC “MAKSBelmed” https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8205-750X
Alexander A. Leonov Outpatient Clinic “Garmoniya Zdorov’ya” LLC “MAKSBelmed” https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1444-027X
Elena V. Milutina Outpatient Clinic “Garmoniya Zdorov’ya” LLC “MAKSBelmed” https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6104-2034
Valeriya O. Barysheva South Ural State Medical University https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7762-7854
Daniel K. Ofori Outpatient Clinic “Garmoniya Zdorov’ya” LLC “MAKSBelmed” https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1398-5959

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3897/rrpharmacology.4.29454

Abstract

Introduction. Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) remains one of the most acute problems of bronchopulmonary pathology being the 4^th in the mortality structure (after cardiovascular, cerebrovascular diseases and malignant neoplasms) and the 1^st among all fatalities from infectious diseases. Thanks to the scientific progress achieved in the antibiotic therapy and vaccine prophylaxis, the death toll has decreased four times compared to its rate during the “pre-antibiotic era“. However, nowadays there is a steadily increasing trend in the pneumonia mortality rate in Russia. The only possible way to increase efficacy of CAP treatment is timely initiated rational antibiotic therapy, considering the possible etiologies, risk factors and the severity of the patient’s condition.

Materials and methods. The article represents the results of anonymous prospective surveys within the framework of the KNOCAP multi-centered research project aimed at accessing the knowledge on the fundamental issues in diagnosis and treatment of community-acquired pneumonia. The survey involved 222 students in their fifth- and sixth years in medical institute from Belgorod, Dnepr (Dnipro), Voronezh, Kiev (Kyiv) and Saratov and 110 physicians from Krasnodar, Saratov, Belgorod and Dnepr.

Results and discussion. According to the results of the survey, such levels of correct answers were given by doctors and students, respectively: the inadmissibility of antimicrobial therapy (AMT) delay in CAP - 82% and 59%; the main criterion for withholding AMT - 56% and 37%; “sequential therapy” - 61% and 59%. At the same time, only 24% of the students and 23% of the physicians surveyed correctly reported typical mistakes in the treatment of a non-severe CAP with 50% or more accuracy; and in case of initial treatment, the number of correct responses was less than 28% for students and 45% for doctors.

Conclusion. The survey showed that both senior medical students majoring in Medical Care and general practitioners had a low level of knowledge in CAP treatment. Hence, curricula need to be adjusted both in medical universities and in health institutions for practitioners in order to inform them and, thus, improve the quality of their knowledge in this field.

Keywords:

community-acquired pneumonia, medical students, physicians, antibacterial therapy, education

Author Contribution

Roman A. Bontsevich, Outpatient Clinic “Garmoniya Zdorov’ya” LLC “MAKSBelmed”

MD, PhD, Associated Professor, pulmonologist, clinical pharmacologist and therapist. Scopus

Tatiana S. Filinichenko, Outpatient Clinic “Garmoniya Zdorov’ya” LLC “MAKSBelmed”

Senior student.

Anna A. Gavrilova, Outpatient Clinic “Garmoniya Zdorov’ya” LLC “MAKSBelmed”

Senior student, the intern.

Natalia Y. Goncharova, Voronezh State Medical University named after N.N. Burdenko

MD, PhD, Associated Professor of the Department of Clinical Pharmacology.

Olena V. Myronenko, Dnipropetrovsk Medical Academy (State Establishment)

MD, PhD, Associated Professor of the Department of Internal Medicine №1.

Olga G. Kompaniets, Kuban State Medical University

MD, PhD, Associated Professor of the First Therapy Department.

Elena V. Luchinina, Saratov State Medical University named after V. I. Razumovsky

MD, PhD, Associated Professor of the Department of Clinical Pharmacology.

Tatiana M. Shagieva, Outpatient Clinic “Garmoniya Zdorov’ya” LLC “MAKSBelmed”

MD, pulmonologist, consultant.

Oxana G. Ni, Kuban State Medical University

MD, Head of the Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Regional clinical hospital №2.

Galina G. Ketova, South Ural State Medical University

MD, PhD, Professor, The Department of Outpatient therapy and Clinical Pharmacology. The author was responsible for conducting the regional study in Chelyabinsk.

Ekaterina V. Eliseeva, Pacific State Medical University

MD, PhD, Professor, Head of The Basic and Clinical Pharmacology Department.

Guzel M. Bikkinina, Bashkir State Medical University

MD, PhD, Professor, The Department of Pharmacology with the Course of Clinical Pharmacology.

Maxim L. Maximov, Kazan State Medical Academy

MD, PhD, Head of the Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy.

Olga A. Osipova, Outpatient Clinic “Garmoniya Zdorov’ya” LLC “MAKSBelmed”

MD, PhD, cardiologist, consultant.

Kristina V. Shchurovskaya, Outpatient Clinic “Garmoniya Zdorov’ya” LLC “MAKSBelmed”

MD, postgraduate student, doctor.

Alexander A. Leonov, Outpatient Clinic “Garmoniya Zdorov’ya” LLC “MAKSBelmed”

Resident physician, intern.

Elena V. Milutina, Outpatient Clinic “Garmoniya Zdorov’ya” LLC “MAKSBelmed”

Senior student, intern.

Valeriya O. Barysheva, South Ural State Medical University

MD, PhD, Assistant Professor at the Department.

Daniel K. Ofori, Outpatient Clinic “Garmoniya Zdorov’ya” LLC “MAKSBelmed”