Attitude on selected issues of sarcopenia among trainee physicians
| Statement | Level of agreement (N = 211) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strongly agree N (%) | Agree N (%) | Neutral N (%) | Disagree N (%) | Strongly disagree N (%) | |
| I have heard about “sarcopenia” before. | 98 (46.4) | 50 (23.7) | 38 (18.0) | 17 (8.1) | 8 (3.8) |
| I know how to diagnose sarcopenia. | 12 (5.7) | 46 (21.8) | 81 (38.4) | 45 (21.3) | 27 (12.8) |
| In clinical practice, the prevention of common medical diseases with severe complications, such as diabetes mellitus, and hypertension is more important than the prevention of sarcopenia. | 39 (18.5) | 65 (30.8) | 57 (27.0) | 31 (14.7) | 19 (9.0) |
| Sarcopenia lies beyond the realm of my expertise, as it lacks any association with my patients. | 14 (6.6) | 27 (12.8) | 40 (19.0) | 65 (30.8) | 65 (30.8) |
| Sarcopenia is like cachexia or starvation. | 9 (4.3) | 33 (15.6) | 62 (29.4) | 57 (27.0) | 50 (23.7) |
| The patient without muscle atrophy is likely to have normal muscle mass. | 5 (2.4) | 37 (17.5) | 52 (24.6) | 70 (33.2) | 47 (22.3) |
| The patient with normal muscle power is likely to have normal muscle mass. | 18 (8.5) | 60 (28.4) | 63 (29.9) | 47 (22.3) | 23 (10.9) |
| Every hospitalized patient who is expected to stay over a week should have a physical therapy consultation. | 48 (22.8) | 88 (41.7) | 49 (23.2) | 24 (11.3) | 2 (1) |
| The treatment of sarcopenia necessitates a complex approach, requiring the expertise and involvement of specialized healthcare professionals. | 8 (3.8) | 42 (19.9) | 83 (39.3) | 57 (27.0) | 21 (10.0) |
Characteristics of studied population
| Variables | n = 211 | |
|---|---|---|
| Age (years); med (IQR 1, 3) | 26 | (25, 29) |
| Male; n (%) | 108 | (51.2) |
| Duration of practice (years); med (IQR 1, 3) | 2 | (0.9, 3.3) |
| Working place | ||
| Internal medicine | 82 | (38.8) |
| Surgery | 37 | (17.5) |
| Orthopedics | 13 | (6.1) |
| Family medicine | 12 | (5.6) |
| Physical medicine and rehabilitation | 6 | (2.8) |
| Others | 61 | (31.2) |
| Clinical experience of training | 48 | (23.8) |
| Geriatric medicine | 24 | (11.4) |
| Nutrition | 42 | (19.9) |
Factors associated with higher scores of sarcopenia knowledge using stepwise forward multiple regression analysis with logistic transformation
| Factors | Adjusted OR | 95% CI | P |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years) | 0.5 | (0.4, 0.7) | <0.05* |
| Years of practice | 2.0 | (1.3, 3.1) | <0.05* |
| Working place | |||
| Internal medicine | 11.5 | (2.5, 53.4) | <0.05* |
| Family medicine | 7.8 | (0.4, 169.3) | 0.19 |
| Others | 1 | − | − |
| Clinical experience in nutrition | 4.3 | (0.7, 26.0) | 0.11 |
Total score on sarcopenia knowledge
| Topics | No. of correct answers; median (IQR 1, 3) | No. of items | (%); median (IQR 1, 3) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A. Terminology and importance | 7 (6, 8) | 10 | 70 (60, 80) |
| B. Etiology | 3 (3, 4) | 4 | 75 (74, 100) |
| C. Diagnosis | 5 (3, 6) | 8 | 62.5 (37.5, 75) |
| D. Management and prevention | 5 (5, 6) | 8 | 62.5 (62.5, 75.0) |
| Total score | 22 (18, 24) | 30 | 73.3 (60, 80) |