Knowledge and Attitude Towards Decompensated Liver Disease Patients Assessment Amongst Health Care Providers of a Tertiary Care Hospital- A Cross Sectional Study

Authors

Abstract

Objective: To assess the knowledge and attitude of healthcare workers towards assessment of decompensated liver disease patients.

Methods

This cross-sectional observational study was conducted in the Department of Gastroenterology, Combined Military Hospital Peshawar from September 2023 to November 2023. Non-probability consecutive sampling technique was used and included.All the patient's fulfilling inclusion and exclusion criteria were observed during the study period.A preformed excel sheet was used to collect data including age, gender, education level, occupation, duration of illness, duration of treatment, etiology, medications. Patients of both genders from ages 18-84 years with known decompensated chronic liver disease admitted indoor or visited outpatient department during the study period. Frequency and percentages were calculated for quantitative variables and mean ± SD. P-value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

 Mean age of the patients was 53.16 (± 12.70) years. Out of 95 patients, 30 (32.70%) were females while 65 (67.30%) were males. Mean duration of Chronic Liver Disease was 5.15 (± 1.85) months. Child Pugh scoring was performed for 26 (27.40%) patients only. 29(90%) of the doctors had knowledge of assessing DCLD patients by using Child Pugh score, 5(15%) were used to calculate CPT score while assessing DCLD patients. Regarding medication, 78% were prescribing inappropriate drugs without any assessment and indications of drugs i.e. rifixamine, beta blockers, proton pump inhibitors, lactulose, antibiotics, ulsanic acid, furosemide, and spironolactone. Frequency of more than 5 drugs prescription was 80%.

Conclusion

 Careful assessment and managing decompensated liver disease patients not only slows down the disease progression but can also decrease morbidity and mortality related to decompensated liver disease.

Keywords:

Attitude, knowledge, liver disease, health care workers

Published

2024/08/30