# Knowledge and Attitude of Medical Students in Lebanon Towards Disaster Medicine

## TL;DR

This study explores the knowledge and attitudes of Lebanese medical students towards disaster medicine and finds that those with training have higher knowledge and confidence.

## Contribution

The study provides new insights into the current state of disaster medicine education among medical students in Lebanon.

## Key findings

- Medical students in Lebanon had a mean knowledge score of 12.19 out of 25.
- Students who received disaster medicine training scored significantly higher.
- Higher knowledge was linked to greater confidence and willingness to take future courses.

## Abstract

This study aims to assess the knowledge and attitude of medical students in Lebanon towards disaster medicine.

An exploratory online cross-sectional survey was conducted on 388 medical students from different educational levels and universities in Lebanon. The data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), considering a p-value of <0.05 as significant.

The participants had a mean knowledge score of 12.19 ± 4.04 out of 25 questions. Those who received a disaster medicine educational course (19.1%) had a higher knowledge score (p-value <0.001). There was a significant association between the knowledge score on one hand, and the confidence level of respondents (p-value of 0.003) and their willingness to enroll in a disaster medicine course on the other hand (p-values <0.001).

It is evident that medical students in Lebanon possess a fair level of knowledge and a high attitude towards disaster medicine.