Journal of Surgery and Trauma
نشریه جراحی و تروما
J Surg Trauma
Medical Sciences
http://jsurgery.bums.ac.ir
1
admin
2345-4873
2345-4873
en
jalali
1397
8
1
gregorian
2018
11
1
6
3
online
1
fulltext
en
Evaluation of knowledge and preparedness of medical, dentistry, nursing and laboratory science technology students against a potential bioterrorism attack in Birjand University of Medical Sciences, 2017
طب اورژانس
Emergency Medicine
پژوهشي
Research
<strong>Introduction:</strong> During recent years, the occurrence of terroristic attacks throughout the Middle East and occasionally in Iran has proposed that bioterrorists have the ability to disseminate biologic agents in the region and cause widespread social panic. Medical, health, and laboratory personnel have a serious responsibility towards their public community in terms of the prevention, detection, and treatment of potential bioterrorism attacks. To fulfill their responsibilities, they need to be trained by taking part in the relevant courses during their undergraduate education. In case of potential bioterrorism attacks, an appropriate level of knowledge and preparedness is essential for medical, health, and laboratory personnel to ensure a proper medical response<br>
to such outbreaks. This study aimed to evaluate the level of knowledge, preparedness, and attitude of medical, dentistry, nursing, and laboratory science<br>
technology students in Birjand University of medical sciences, Birjand, Iran on a potential bioterrorism attack.<br>
<strong>Methods:</strong> This study is a cross-sectional analytical study. A total of 182 students of Birjand University of Medical Sciences in medicine (Med), nursing (Nurse), laboratory science technology (Lst), and dentistry (Dent) who had just passed their microbiology courses took part in this study, in 2017. Students who were not willing to complete the questionnaire were excluded from the study. A non-probabilistic sampling method was used. Data were collected using a licensed questionnaire. The data were extracted from the questionnaires, corrected, and analyzed in SPSS software (version 24). All data were analyzed by the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney Tests. P-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.<br>
<strong>Results:</strong> The result of the study showed that the mean scores (out of 100) of knowledge and preparedness of medicine, dental, laboratory science technology, and nursing students were obtained as 45.5±15.9 and 63.2±13.8, 41.3±6.5 and 66±12.5, 35.7±12.8 and 57.5±11.6, and 36.3±6.5 and 61.5±7.5, respectively. The knowledge score between Med and laboratory science technology students was significantly different (P=0.003). The same significant difference was also found between medicine and nursing students (P=0.007). Moreover, there was a statistically significant difference between dental and laboratory science technology students in terms of preparedness scores (P=0.002). However, no significant difference between dental and medicine students neither on their knowledge nor on their preparedness scores was observed (P=0.376, P=0.257).<br>
<strong>Conclusions:</strong> It can be concluded that the level of knowledge and preparedness of medical, health, and medical laboratory science students regarding bioterrorism is relatively low. Therefore, enclosing educational programs about bioterrorism in the curriculum of all academic disciplines of medical sciences is suggested.
Bioterrorism, Education, Knowledge, Preparedness, Students
101
107
http://jsurgery.bums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-184-1&slc_lang=en&sid=1
Mahdi
Abdollahi-Karizno
abdollahimadi@gmail.com
0640523358
10031947532846006921
No
MD student, Birjand university of medical science, student research Committee, Birjand, Iran.
Forugh
Pursalehi
Forugh.pursalehi@yahoo.com
0690579896
10031947532846006922
No
MD student, Birjand university of medical science, student research Committee, Birjand, Iran.
Maryam
Mirzaei
Mirzaee_mm@ymail.com
0910148589
10031947532846006923
No
MD student, Birjand university of medical science, student research Committee, Birjand, Iran.
Fateme
Salmany
salmany_fatemeh@yahoo.com
06531022585
10031947532846006924
No
Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Faculty of Health, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, IR Iran
Majid
Zare-Bidaki
m.zare@live.co.uk
0731678206
10031947532846006925
Yes
Infectious Disease Research Center, Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Paramedical Sciences, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran *