Effect of an environmental health educational programme for paediatricians in an Egyptian University Hospital: before and after study

OBJECTIVES: To study the effect of an educational intervention on paediatricians' knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding children's environmental health and to identify the sources of information and common environmental history taking constrains. DESIGN: Before and after study. SETTING: Zagazig University Paediatric Hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Practising paediatricians from all specialty units. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The outcome of a specifically designed educational programme about paediatric environmental health was assessed using structured pre- and post-test questionnaires. RESULTS: Nearly half the participants were aware about most of the paediatric environmental health-related topics. Textbooks/guidelines (85.7%) and the Internet (64.3%) were the main sources of information. The participants demonstrated relatively strong positive attitudes towards the importance of children's environmental health. However, less than half of them (44.6%) reported environmental history taking as a routine practice; where lack of time (94.6%), wide range of hazardous exposures (91.1%) and lack of expertise and training (91.1%) were the main constrains. Significant improvement in participants' knowledge, attitudes and practices was revealed after the educational programme. CONCLUSIONS: There is a demand for continuous medical education about environmental health in paediatric practice, particularly environmental and occupational history taking.