Knowledge Levels About Inflammatory Bowel Disease Vary Between Healthcare Professional Groups

Background Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is one of the most serious chronic diseases affecting the global population. Clinical team members involved in the care of individuals with IBD should have sufficient knowledge about IBD. Aims The study aim was to assess IBD knowledge among four health care professional groups in New Zealand: nurses, medical students, dietitians, and pharmacists. Methods All four groups completed surveys on demographics, work experience, and contact with patients with IBD. All completed a validated IBD knowledge assessment questionnaire (IBD-KID2), and percentage scores with standard deviation (SD) for each group calculated and compared. Results Participants included 200 nurses, 196 medical students, 45 dietitians, and 28 pharmacists. Mean IBD-KID2 percentage scores were nurses 69.7% (SD 14.7), medical students 77.6% (SD 14.5), dietitians 87.4% (SD 8.3), and pharmacists 83.4% (SD 10.1). Nurses scored lower than other HCP ( P