Evaluating Technical Knowledge of Using Inhalation Devices Amongst Medical Students and Pediatrics Residents in Iran

Asthma is a common chronic respiratory disorder in children and adults worldwide. Inhalers are vital medications that are prescribed to control the disease and reduce its mortality and morbidity.

This study aimed to assess the knowledge and skills of Medical Students (MSs) and pediatric residents (PRs) in using different inhaler devices (IDs).

This cross-sectional study included 243 MSs and PRs at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Iran, from March 2018 to March 2019. The MSs were divided into the senior medical students (SMSs) and junior medical students (JMSs). Data regarding participants’ knowledge on metered dose inhalers (MDIs), dry powder inhalers (DPIs), and nebulizers (NBs) were gathered using questionnaires and a face-to-face interview.

Of the 243 participants in the study, 113 (46.5%) were SMSs, 87 (35.8%) were JMSs, and 43 (17.7%) were PRs. The mean age of the participants was 26/20 ± 4/25 years. There was no significant difference between studied groups regarding recognition of MDI device (P = 0.072). PRs were more familiar with the DPIs than MSs (P < 0.001). They also could recognize the NBs better than the MSs (P < 0.001). In terms of using DPIs correctly, PRs executed all the steps better than MSs (P < 0.001) except for the third step which all the participants had the same knowledge (P = 0.13). Regarding correct use of NBs, PRs had better performance compared to MSs (P < 0.001).

According to our results, there was an educational vacancy in training MSs regarding using IDs correctly, which can lead to poor compliance in asthmatic patients and deteriorating their lifestyle. The current research supports the need to redesign the educational curriculum of MSs and PRs in Iran to teach them sufficient knowledge and skills about how to use different types of inhalers properly.