Outcomes of an intervention program for family physicians on well-child care for children under 5 years in Suez Canal region, Egypt

Abstract

Abstract Background Family physicians play a critical role in providing well-child care (WCC) in Egypt to children under five. Family physicians’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) on WCC must be appropriately developed to optimize health status and developmental potential in children. The study aimed to evaluate the effect of an innovative, 6-month educational training program on the KAP of family physicians toward WCC. This pre-post interventional study was conducted from September 2014 to March 2016 on a convenience (Suez Canal University) sampling of 39 family physicians who were under training in the Family Medicine Department at the Faculty of Medicine Suez Canal University. After 6 months of implementing the training program, KAP toward WCC was assessed by a 79-item questionnaire at baseline. Results The overall mean percentage of participants’ KAP scores was statistically and significantly increased from 23.68% ± 13.68%, 67.15% ± 6.75%, and 40.98% ± 12.24% to 88.46% ± 8.09%, 88.62% ± 5.17%, and 71.79% ± 14.63%, respectively (p < 0.001). Recognizing the appropriate anticipatory guidance for the use of car seats made up the epitome of what was lacking in posttest knowledge (53.8%). Tendency of performing red reflex testing especially reduced refinement in posttest attitudes (53.8%). The least improved post-intervention practices were anticipatory guidance (7.7%), examination for developmental hip dysplasia (28.2%), and caries (43.6%), eliciting parents’ concerns for hearing and speech (38.5%) and vision screening (38.5%). Conclusions The educational program had positive effects on family physicians’ KAP toward well-child care for children under five. Further interventions are needed for improving the family physicians’ practices of sensory screening, assessment of hip dysplasia, oral health, and anticipatory guidance.