Assessment of the patients’ knowledge undergoing surgery about anesthesiology and anesthesiologists’ roles

Introduction

We aim to assess patients' understanding of anesthesia and the anesthesiologist's role in pre-, intra, and post-operative periods. Anesthesiologists' responsibilities have expanded beyond the operating room to include trauma centers, labor analgesia, resuscitation units, etc. This is particularly important as patients in developing countries often have limited knowledge about anesthesia.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 170 patients from January to February 2021 at Faghihi Hospital, affiliated with Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. Consenting patients were interviewed based on a pre-designed and pre-tested checklist.

Results

Out of 170 patients with an age of 46 ± 12 years, 85 % had previous exposure to anesthesia. 93 % of patients thought anesthesia meant to sleep, while only 66 % knew it was a medical specialty, and 24 % were aware of postoperative pain control by an anesthesiologist. Education level was the most important factor influencing patient knowledge, followed by place of residence and previous anesthesia experience. Previous anesthesia experience did not affect opinions about anesthesia (P = 0.15).

Conclusion

The study participants generally had poor knowledge about anesthesia and anesthesiologists' responsibilities. To improve this, we must endeavor to educate patients in the field of anesthesia. Also, attention should be focused on finding ways to inform patients about anesthesiology in rural areas and unschooled patients with video/audio instructions, as our findings indicate that a patient's place of residence influences their knowledge about anesthesiology.