Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding Pandemic H1N1 Influenza Among Medical and Dental Residents and Fellowships in Shiraz, Iran

BACKGROUND: Influenza disease is one of the oldest medical problems that can cause severe illness and high mortality rates, worldwide. In flu pandemics, medical and dental students’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) is critical to save patients life. The aim of this study was to determine the score of KAP toward the Pandemic H1N1 and their predictor factors among the medical and dental residents and fellowships of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Iran. METHODS: In 2009, 125 participants were recruited in a convenient sampling cross-sectional survey. Self-reported questionnaire were used and results were analyzed applying appropriate statistical tests. RESULTS: The mean score of participants’ knowledge, attitude and practice were 22.6, 21.1 and 26.5 respectively. Participants practice had significant linear positive correlation with knowledge and attitude. Also, their age was significantly and directly correlated to knowledge and practice. The educational major, age, and sex were significant predictors of responder's knowledge score and age was the only significant predictor of both attitude and practice scores. CONCLUSIONS: High knowledge is not sufficient lonely for improve attitude and practices. It seems that traditional educational models are not efficient and governments should emphasize to advanced and motivational education methods including health belief model and motivational interview at postgraduate levels. Perhaps younger students, dentists and males have less motivation to change their attitude and behavior, so we can focuses our interventions in these groups.