The knowledge needs for Canadian paediatric emergency physicians in the diagnosis and management of tropical diseases: A national physician survey

Abstract

Objectives To assess the knowledge gaps and need for continuing medical education (CME) resources for Canadian paediatric emergency department (PED) physician management of common tropical diseases. Methods A cross-sectional survey study of Canadian PED was performed from May to July 2017 using the Pediatric Emergency Research Canada (PERC) database. Results The response rate was 56.4% (133/236). The mean performance on the case-based vignettes identifying clinical presentation of tropical illnesses ranged from 59.9% to 76.0%, with only 15.8% (n=21) to 31.1% (n=42) of participants scoring maximum points. Those who ‘always’ asked about fever performed better than those who only ‘sometimes’ asked (40.4% versus 23.8%). For management cases, the majority of the participants (59.4% to 89.5%) were able to interpret investigations; however, many were unsure of subsequent actions relating to initial treatment, discharge instructions, and reporting requirements. Many would consult infectious diseases (87.8% to 99.3%). Fifty-three per cent of the participants reported a low comfort level in diagnosing or managing these patients. They rated the importance of CME materials with a median of 50/100, via various modalities such as case studies (71.9%), emphasizing a need for PED-specific content. Conclusion This study identified a knowledge gap in the recognition and management of pediatric tropical diseases by Canadian PED physicians. There is a need for formal CME materials to supplement physician practice.