Previously submitted to: JMIR Medical Education (no longer under consideration since Nov 12, 2024)
Date Submitted: Sep 18, 2024
Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited. Preprints - unless they show as "accepted" - should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.
Evaluating the Awareness and Knowledge of Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) Among Paediatric Neurology Residents in Saudi Arabia.
ABSTRACT
Background:
The Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) is a promising treatment modality for pediatric age group especially for movement disorders such as dystonia. Inadequate exposure or education of trainee physicians to advanced treatment modalities may adversely affect timely and appropriate referrals and the ultimate delivery of treatment to the patients. Aim: To investigate the knowledge and the awareness of Paediatric Neurology Residents toward DBS as a therapeutic modality for adults and pediatric neurology patients
Methods:
This descriptive cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted on pediatric neurology resident trainees of Saudi Arabia from March to June 2024. The study used a structured, closed-ended questionnaire that was distributed online platforms to obtain the responses of the participants.
Results:
A total of 40 residents enrolled in this study; about 65% knew that DBS is approved for treatment among adults while 50% knew it to be approved among pediatric age group. Also, 45% reported to know that DBS has side effects. The largest majority didn't attend discussions about DBS (95%) between family and healthcare providers, operation (100%), DBS programming (87.5%), or DBS lecture (80%). Based on their knowledge the major indication for DBS among pediatrics was dystonia (60%). The mean score of knowledge was significantly associated with advanced academic years (P=0.001) and referring patients to DBS surgery (P=0.02). Conclusion: There was inadequate knowledge, awareness, and exposure of Saudi pediatric neurologic residents regarding DBS surgery. Higher knowledge was associated with higher residency levels and higher exposure. Indeed, having good awareness is encouraging as it positively influences the timing of interventions and their subsequent outcomes.
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