Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Intern Doctors Regarding the Use of Inhalation Devices at a Tertiary Care Teaching Rural Hospital.

BACKGROUND: Inhalation therapy is the cornerstone of management for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and bronchial asthma, offering rapid therapeutic onset, lower dosage requirements, and fewer systemic adverse effects than oral formulations. However, the clinical efficacy of aerosolized pharmacotherapy depends heavily on proper inhalation technique. As frontline healthcare providers frequently tasked with patient counseling and device demonstration, medical interns play a pivotal role in ensuring proper device utilization. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practical competencies regarding metered-dose inhalers (MDIs), dry powder inhalers (DPIs), and spacer devices among medical interns at a rural tertiary care teaching hospital.

METHODS: A questionnaire-based, cross-sectional observational study was conducted among medical interns at Smt. B.K. Shah Medical Institute and Research Centre following Institutional Ethics Committee approval. A prevalidated, structured questionnaire evaluating theoretical knowledge, clinical awareness, environmental considerations, and practical demonstration skills regarding MDIs, DPIs, and spacer devices was administered. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed using frequencies and percentages.

RESULTS: A total of 139 completed questionnaires out of 146 distributed were analyzed, yielding a response rate of 95.2%. Overall, theoretical knowledge was high: 126 (90.6%) participants recognized the correct procedural sequence for MDIs, 135 (97.1%) correctly identified common patient errors with MDIs, and 125 (89.9%) and 129 (92.8%) demonstrated accurate knowledge regarding DPI technique and common DPI errors, respectively. Furthermore, 126 (90.6%) understood the comparative environmental footprints of MDIs vs. DPIs, and 131 (94.2%) were aware of potential adverse effects. However, a notable discrepancy was observed in clinical practice: only 103 (74.1%) had demonstrated MDI technique to patients, with even lower demonstration rates for DPIs (n = 98, 70.5%) and spacers (n = 97, 69.8%).

CONCLUSIONS: Although theoretical comprehension of inhalation devices was high among intern doctors, substantial deficits persist in practical demonstration and bedside patient education. Incorporating structured, hands-on workshops, Objective Structured Clinical Examinations, and dedicated inhalation-technique modules into undergraduate medical curricula is imperative to bridge the theory-practice gap, optimize rational prescribing, and improve clinical outcomes in obstructive airway diseases.