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<p>Toxocariasis is a widespread zoonotic infection that presents a notable public health challenge, especially in developing regions. Despite its clinical importance, there has been no prior evaluation of physicians’ perspectives on the disease within Iran. Recognizing the critical role physicians play in diagnosis, patient education, and referral, this study was designed to assess their knowledge, attitudes, and practices concerning toxocariasis in southeastern Iran. A structured four-part questionnaire was used to collect data exclusively from physicians. The first section gathered demographic and professional details such as age, gender, education level, specialty, clinical experience, and marital status. The remaining sections assessed physicians’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding toxocariasis. Each domain was scored on a standardized 0–10 scale, with scores categorized as low (&lt; 5), moderate (5–7), or good (&gt; 7) to facilitate interpretation. This study of 364 physicians in southeastern Iran found that most participants were female, married, and mid-career professionals, primarily general practitioners and specialists across 22 medical disciplines. While knowledge (mean: 6.96) and attitude (mean: 7.43) toward toxocariasis were generally moderate to good, practice levels were poor (mean: 3.91), with 75% scoring low. In the context of mean statistical analysis comparison, attitude scores demonstrated a notable correlation with work experience, indicating that physicians with more than 40 years of experience exhibited the most positive attitudes. In contrast, practice scores were largely low across all categories. Concerning poor, moderate, and good scores, statistically significant differences were observed in knowledge based on gender, attitude according to professional classification, and practice in relation to work experience, with the highest good practice scores noted for physicians with 21–30 years of experience (12.3%). This study highlights the moderate to good knowledge and attitudes of physicians in southeastern Iran toward toxocariasis, yet reveals a significant gap in clinical practice. Integrating toxocariasis into continuing medical education and strengthening physician engagement are essential steps toward improving diagnosis, prevention, and patient care in endemic areas.</p>

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Evaluation of knowledge, attitude and practice of physicians on toxocariasis in Southeastern Iran, a neglected but high-prevalence disease

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年4月21日

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  • Zarrin Taheri Chatroudi,
  • Nasrin Bazargan,
  • Mohammad Ebrahimipour

摘要

Toxocariasis is a widespread zoonotic infection that presents a notable public health challenge, especially in developing regions. Despite its clinical importance, there has been no prior evaluation of physicians’ perspectives on the disease within Iran. Recognizing the critical role physicians play in diagnosis, patient education, and referral, this study was designed to assess their knowledge, attitudes, and practices concerning toxocariasis in southeastern Iran. A structured four-part questionnaire was used to collect data exclusively from physicians. The first section gathered demographic and professional details such as age, gender, education level, specialty, clinical experience, and marital status. The remaining sections assessed physicians’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding toxocariasis. Each domain was scored on a standardized 0–10 scale, with scores categorized as low (< 5), moderate (5–7), or good (> 7) to facilitate interpretation. This study of 364 physicians in southeastern Iran found that most participants were female, married, and mid-career professionals, primarily general practitioners and specialists across 22 medical disciplines. While knowledge (mean: 6.96) and attitude (mean: 7.43) toward toxocariasis were generally moderate to good, practice levels were poor (mean: 3.91), with 75% scoring low. In the context of mean statistical analysis comparison, attitude scores demonstrated a notable correlation with work experience, indicating that physicians with more than 40 years of experience exhibited the most positive attitudes. In contrast, practice scores were largely low across all categories. Concerning poor, moderate, and good scores, statistically significant differences were observed in knowledge based on gender, attitude according to professional classification, and practice in relation to work experience, with the highest good practice scores noted for physicians with 21–30 years of experience (12.3%). This study highlights the moderate to good knowledge and attitudes of physicians in southeastern Iran toward toxocariasis, yet reveals a significant gap in clinical practice. Integrating toxocariasis into continuing medical education and strengthening physician engagement are essential steps toward improving diagnosis, prevention, and patient care in endemic areas.