Study of awareness of adrenal disorders among interns and postgraduate students of Hamidia Hospital, Bhopal.

INTRODUCTION: Adrenal disorders could be a life-threatening emergency, hence requires immediate therapeutic management. For this awareness regarding its diagnosis, management, and treatment is prime important.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVE: To study the awareness of adrenal disorders among interns and postgraduates students of Hamidia Hospital, Bhopal.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was performed. Fifty-six participants, i.e., 1(st), 2(nd), and 3(rd) years postgraduate residents of general medicine (n = 14 × 3) and interns (n = 14) were included in the study. There were 12 questions on adrenal insufficiency, adrenal adenoma, congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), nonclassical CAH (NCCAH), pheochromocytoma, and Conn's syndrome. One mark was awarded for each correct response.

RESULTS: In the present study, 14 (25%) participants scored < 5 marks, 33 (58.9%) scored between 6 and 9, and 9 (16.1%) scored between 10 and 12. The mean score among the participants was 6.38 ± 2.505, with a range from 2 to 11 marks. The number of correct answers by postgraduates residents of 1(st) year was 101, 2(nd) year was 95, and 3(rd) year was 93 and interns scored 68 out of total 168 questions in each group. Mean awareness score for residents of 1(st), 2(nd), 3(rd) years participants and interns was 7.21 ± 2.806, 6.79 ± 2.119, and 6.64 ± 2.818 and 6.63 ± 2.505, respectively. Most of the participants recorded correct responses related to diagnosis (57.7%) followed by responses related to treatment (64.3%). Answers to a question regarding how commonly is adrenal insufficiency diagnosed in medical Intensive Care Unit, none of the individuals responded correctly.

CONCLUSION: There was a lack of awareness regarding diagnosis, management, and treatment of adrenal disorders in central India. We need to prioritize training related to these illnesses in our postgraduate teaching curriculum in practice.