Evaluating Parkinson's Disease Knowledge Among Academic Healthcare Educators: Findings From a Saudi Arabian Institution.

INTRODUCTION

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative condition requiring accurate clinical knowledge for effective patient care. Academic healthcare educators play a key role in preparing future clinicians, yet their PD knowledge has not been well studied. This research assessed PD knowledge among healthcare educators at a Saudi Arabian university.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted at the College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taif University. Academic staff (N=46), including nurses, radiologists, physiotherapists, and laboratory technologists, completed a validated 20-item questionnaire covering three domains: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prognosis. Knowledge scores were benchmarked against a model answer, and one-way ANOVA was used to analyze performance differences by profession, academic rank, and degree level.

RESULTS

The cohort demonstrated a moderate to low overall knowledge level, with a mean score of 9.86±2.11 out of 20. Participants performed best in Diagnosis but showed significant deficits in the Treatment domain (3.00±1.3 out of 7). Notably, knowledge gaps were systemic; there were no statistically significant differences in scores based on specialty (p=0.1), academic rank (p=0.348), or educational qualification (p=0.289). Specific misconceptions regarding disease progression rates and stem cell therapy were prevalent across all subgroups.

CONCLUSIONS

Academic healthcare educators exhibited uniform knowledge deficits regarding PD, particularly in therapeutic management. The lack of variance by seniority suggests that advanced academic credentials do not guarantee clinical currency in neurodegenerative care. Targeted faculty development initiatives are recommended to prevent the transmission of misconceptions to undergraduate students.