Knowledge, attitude and practice of thromboprophylaxis among doctors in Edo State, Nigeria

Abstract

Introduction: Despite the overwhelming evidence in favour of thromboprophylaxis and availability of effective methods and clinical guidelines, the awareness and practice still vary significantly globally. This study sought to highlight the current level of knowledge, attitude and practice of thromboprophylaxis among doctors in Edo state, as a microcosm of the national health system. Method: This is a cross-sectional descriptive study carried out in major health centers in Edo state, Nigeria to survey the knowledge, attitude and practice of thromboprophylaxis among doctors in Edo state. Relevant data were collected using a pretested self- administered questionnaire and analyzed using IBM SPSS 20. Result: A total of 90 practitioners returned the completed questionnaire. All the respondents demonstrated good basic knowledge of the concept of thromboprophylaxis. However, only 2% knew that placement of inferior vena cava (IVC) filter and chest exercise are thromboprophylactic methods. Over 90% of the respondents thought that venous thromboembolism was a significant problem among hospitalized patients while 45% of them also thought that the practice of thromboprophylaxis was sub-optimal in their various hospitals. Majority of the practitioners (90%) preferred pharmacologic prophylaxis with LMWH (70%) being their most favorite for thromboprophylaxis. Less than 50% of the respondents had managed >5 cases of thrombosis and less than 20% consistently administer thomboprophylaxis to at-risk patients. Conclusion: While this survey showed a considerably high level of knowledge of thromboprophylaxis among practitioners, there was still significant deficiency with regards to attitude and practice of the same among doctors in this region.