Level of Awareness of Allergology and its Relationship with Continuous Education and Professional Training among Students and Practitioners of Medical Laboratory Science in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Knowledge and competency in allergology among healthcare professionals is essential in achieving better diagnosis, management, and treatment of allergic conditions. Achieving competency in allergology requires a structured approach to education and professional training. Presently, there is limited information on the knowledge of allergology among Nigerian Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) practitioners and students, whose roles in the diagnosis of allergic disorders cannot be overemphasized. This study was therefore, designed to assess knowledge of allergology among MLS students and practitioners in Jos, Nigeria.

Materials and Methods: A total of 530 participants consisting of MLS students and practitioners were enrolled into this exploratory descriptive cross-sectional study. Information on allergology was obtained using a semi-structured interviewer-based questionnaire with both open-ended and close-ended questions. Data were analysed using Chi-square and P-value less than 0.05 was considered as statistically significant.

Results: More than two-third (68.3%) of the study participants were aware of allergology or allergic diseases. Of all the participants, only 11.1% had allergology included in their training curriculum while 9.1% had attended professional training on allergology. There was significant association between the level of allergology awareness and the inclusion of allergology in MLS training curriculum as well as professional training in allergology.

Conclusion: The level of allergology awareness among MLS students and practitioners in Jos, Nigeria is high but allergology is not accorded the desired attention in the curriculum of MLS students. Therefore, there is the need to include comprehensive modules on allergology in the curriculum of MLS students in Nigeria to achieve the desired competencies in allergology.