Evaluation of the family medicine residents i̇n Ankara knowledge level about upper respiratory tract i̇nfections, antiviral use i̇n upper respiratory tract i̇nfections and i̇nfluenza vaccine

Objective: Upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) is the one of most frequent cause of doctor visits in primary care. Patients apply to their family physician shortly after from symptoms occur. Family physicians need to diagnose the illness and treat it rightly as soon as possible because its matter of life and death for the risk group patients. Most effective way to protection from influenza is the vaccine. The aim of the study is evaluating of the family medicine residents in Ankara knowledge level about upper respiratory tract infections, antiviral use in upper respiratory tract infections and influenza vaccine. Materials and Methods: Our study is planned as cross-sectional study and carry out between 15 March 2020 and 15 May 2020. The sample of the study is residents working in Family Medicine Clinics in Ankara Province. A questionnaire that has 68 questions about URTI, URTI treatment, antiviral use in URTI and influenza vaccine administrated to the participants. Data were analyzed with SPSS v25 program and p <0.05 value was accepted as statistical significance. Results: 202 family medicine residents were included in the study. %40,6 (n=82) of the participants were men and %58,9 (n=119) were women. Median age of the participants was 31,34. %28,2 of (n=57) participants were contracted family physicians and %71,8 (n=145) were full time family medicine residents. %67,3 (n=136) of the participants find themselves qualified enough to diagnose and treatment of URTI. The participant doctors who got lecture about URTI after university graduation answered questions more accurately than participant doctors who didn't get any lecture about URTI. Contracted family physicians answered most of the questions more accurately than full time family medicine residents. We saw that most of the participants answered incorrect the questions about antiviral use in URTI and influenza vaccine. Conclusion: Some of the participants didn't find themselves qualified enough to diagnose and treatment of URTI. Especially wrong answer ratio of the questions about antiviral use in URTI and influenza vaccine support that situation. It's linked to the lack of clinical practice and knowledge. To solve this problem firstly family medicine residents must get lectures about URTI and fill the lack of knowledge. After that residents should use the earning of lectures in clinical practice.