BACKGROUND: Sri Lanka is one of the highest envenoming reporting countries globally with >80 000 snakebites per year. Among other factors, knowledge of snakebite among doctors predominantly determines patient outcomes.
METHODS: Using a pretested 72-item self-administered questionnaire, we assessed knowledge on identifying common snake species, signs of envenoming and management of venomous snakebites among 280 doctors working in eight state hospitals in regions where snakebite prevalence is highest in Sri Lanka.
RESULTS: Visually, 92.1% correctly identified a cobra and 74.3% identified a Russell's viper, but only 30% could identify a hump-nosed viper (HNV). Syndromic identification of snakes was best for the krait (71.8%) followed by the cobra (59.6%), but poor for the HNV (30%). The median knowledge scores of pictorial and syndromic snake identification, indoor preventive measures and indications of antivenom were <75% of the maximum score. Apart from 62.5% who expected the victim to bring the snake along to the hospital, most doctors selected the correct options of pre-hospital care. The duration of work experience did not influence the competency of syndromic identification. Utilisation of local guidelines was associated with better knowledge in antivenom usage (odds ratio 2.22 [95% confidence interval 1.04 to 5.36]; p=0.03).
CONCLUSIONS: Specific deficiencies of core knowledge in snakebite management exist among doctors working in snakebite prevalent regions.
BT - Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene C1 - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34323280 DA - 07/2021 DO - 10.1093/trstmh/trab112 J2 - Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg LA - eng N2 -BACKGROUND: Sri Lanka is one of the highest envenoming reporting countries globally with >80 000 snakebites per year. Among other factors, knowledge of snakebite among doctors predominantly determines patient outcomes.
METHODS: Using a pretested 72-item self-administered questionnaire, we assessed knowledge on identifying common snake species, signs of envenoming and management of venomous snakebites among 280 doctors working in eight state hospitals in regions where snakebite prevalence is highest in Sri Lanka.
RESULTS: Visually, 92.1% correctly identified a cobra and 74.3% identified a Russell's viper, but only 30% could identify a hump-nosed viper (HNV). Syndromic identification of snakes was best for the krait (71.8%) followed by the cobra (59.6%), but poor for the HNV (30%). The median knowledge scores of pictorial and syndromic snake identification, indoor preventive measures and indications of antivenom were <75% of the maximum score. Apart from 62.5% who expected the victim to bring the snake along to the hospital, most doctors selected the correct options of pre-hospital care. The duration of work experience did not influence the competency of syndromic identification. Utilisation of local guidelines was associated with better knowledge in antivenom usage (odds ratio 2.22 [95% confidence interval 1.04 to 5.36]; p=0.03).
CONCLUSIONS: Specific deficiencies of core knowledge in snakebite management exist among doctors working in snakebite prevalent regions.
PY - 2021 T2 - Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene TI - Knowledge on prevention, diagnosis and treatment of snakebite envenoming among doctors in snakebite-dense regions in Sri Lanka. SN - 1878-3503 ER -