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Perceptions of medical sciences students towards probiotics
Laleh Payahoo1, Zeinab Nikniaz1, Reza Mahdavi2
1Students' Research Committee; Department of Biochemistry & Diet therapy, Faculty of Health and Nutrition, Tabriz University of Medical Science, Tabriz, Iran.
Health Promotion Perspectives
|April 2, 2014
Summary
Medical students possess acceptable knowledge of probiotics but lack awareness of product availability. Educational interventions are recommended to improve understanding of probiotic products and their health effects.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Nutrition Science
- Public Health
Background:
- Probiotics are crucial for disease prevention, necessitating knowledge among healthcare professionals.
- Limited studies exist on probiotic knowledge, especially regarding product availability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the knowledge of medical sciences students regarding probiotics and their health effects.
- To evaluate awareness of probiotic product availability among future healthcare providers.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 296 medical sciences students in Tabriz, Iran.
- Self-administered questionnaires assessed demographic characteristics, knowledge of probiotics, and product availability.
- Knowledge scores were categorized as poor, acceptable, or good; statistical analysis used the Chi-square test.
Main Results:
- 51% of students demonstrated good knowledge of probiotics, with an overall acceptable knowledge level.
- Awareness regarding the availability of probiotic products was low to moderate (36.9% low, 48.1% moderate).
- Significant differences in knowledge were observed across different student majors and degree groups (P<0.05).
Conclusions:
- Medical students have a generally acceptable understanding of probiotics' health benefits.
- There is a notable gap in awareness concerning the availability of common probiotic products.
- Enhanced educational materials focusing on new probiotic research are recommended for students.
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