A Pre-pandemic Baseline: Assessing Gaps in Sexually Transmitted Infection Knowledge Among Healthcare Providers at the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department of a Saudi Tertiary Care Hospital

TL;DR

This study found significant gaps in healthcare providers' knowledge of STI management in a Saudi hospital before the pandemic, highlighting the need for better training.

Contribution

The study provides a pre-pandemic baseline of STI knowledge among OB/GYN professionals in Saudi Arabia.

Findings

Only 47.1% of providers recognized the asymptomatic nature of STIs.

Few providers knew first-line treatments or diagnostics for common STIs like gonorrhea and chlamydia.

Low awareness of PrEP (24.3%) was observed despite high recognition of condom use.

Abstract

Background: Assessing the competency of healthcare providers in managing sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is critical for reproductive health. This 2019 study established a pre-pandemic baseline by evaluating the knowledge, diagnostic, and management practices of healthcare providers in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB/GYN) at King Abdulaziz University Hospital (KAUH) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 136 of 156 eligible physicians (87.2% response rate). A validated, self-administered questionnaire assessed knowledge across seven STIs: syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, chancroid, herpes simplex virus (HSV), human papillomavirus (HPV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square (χ²) goodness-of-fit tests against a 50% chance-level benchmark to determine if knowledge scores differed significantly from random guessing.

Results: Significant knowledge gaps were identified. While STI recognition varied (93.4% for syphilis vs. 58.1% for chancroid), critical deficits existed in applying modern guidelines. Only 47.1% recognized the often-asymptomatic nature of STIs. Low proportions of participants identified first-line interventions: 34.6% correctly cited ceftriaxone for gonorrhea, 32.4% knew polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was optimal for HSV, and merely 16.9% identified nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) for chlamydia. Awareness of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) was low (24.3%), despite high condom-use acknowledgment (90.4%).

Conclusion: This study establishes a crucial pre-pandemic baseline, identifying critical knowledge gaps in guideline-based STI management among OB/GYN professionals, including recommended diagnostics and treatments. These findings highlight an urgent need for targeted, continuous medical education to improve clinical competency and patient safety, offering a benchmark for measuring future educational interventions and pandemic-related disruptions on clinical practice.

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