Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices Towards Referral of Probiotics by Pediatricians of Government Hospitals in Faisalabad, Pakistan

Abstract

Background: The use of probiotics is increasing with time. However, there is limited data available related to the referral and knowledge of pediatricians regarding the use of probiotics. Objectives: The objective of this study is to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of pediatricians toward the referral of probiotics in government hospitals located in Faisalabad, Pakistan. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 196 pediatricians who participated in this study. A well-structured, self-administered questionnaire was distributed among participants to assess their knowledge, attitude, and practices towards probiotics referral. The questionnaire was based on four sections including questions related to socio-demographics, knowledge, attitude, and practices about probiotics’ use and referral. The obtained data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and, the chi-square test in SPSS. Results: The findings indicated that the majority of participants had fair knowledge (57.7%), a positive attitude (69.4%), and good practices (80.1%) towards the referral of probiotics products. The chi-square test results revealed that the gender difference of participants was significantly associated with the knowledge (p-value = 0.042). Whereas, the knowledge of participants did not vary significantly concerning the increase in the working experience (p-value = 0.075). In addition, the attitudes and practices of pediatricians were also found to be non-significantly related to the gender difference and working experience of the participants. Furthermore, a significant correlation was found between the attitude and practices (p-value = 0.019), and between knowledge and practices (p-value = 0.000). Whereas, no significant correlation was found between knowledge and attitude (p-value = 0.197). Conclusion: In conclusion, the majority of the participants in this study had fair knowledge, a positive attitude, and good practices towards the referral of probiotics. Although there are certain limitations to this study, it is the first study that provides insights into the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of pediatricians in Faisalabad, Pakistan. Consequently, it is suggested that additional training programs and healthcare policies should be initiated to further promote the clinical applications of probiotics by enhancing the knowledge of pediatricians as well as other healthcare professionals in the country.