Abstract:
Objective:
to evaluate knowledge among medical students, residents, and physicians concerning the prevention of neurocysticercosis (NCC).
Methods:
in the first semester of 2001, 384 medical students were interviewed, with the following questions: “What is neurocysticercosis?” and “How is the disease prevented?”. In the second semester of 2001, the same questions were applied to 37 residents and 51 physicians, the latter having graduated more than four years previously.
Results:
most students (95.8%) could define NCC. but only 45% provided the correct answer concerning its prevention. Among medical residents, the proportions of correct answers ware 97% and 43%, respectively, compared to 88% and 41% among physicians.
Conclusion:
a high proportion of medical students (55%), residents (57%), and physicians (59%) were unable to correctly identify the prevention of NCC. This strongly suggests that the approach to the topic during medical school is inadequate.
Key-words:
Neurocysticercosis, prevention and control; Taeniasis, prevention and control; Students, medical; Medical staff, hospital