Evaluation of medical students' awareness regarding acute rheumatic fever

Acute rheumatic fever (ARF) is an autoimmune disease that develops as a complication of group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal infections and may lead to rheumatic heart disease, particularly in children and young adults in developing countries. With an annual incidence of approximately 10-20 per 100,000, Turkey is considered a moderate-to-high risk country. Early diagnosis, treatment, and prophylaxis are crucial in the prevention of ARF and rheumatic heart disease. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge level of first-year medical students (in the basic medical education phase) and sixth-year students (who had completed their clinical clerkships) at Eskisehir Osmangazi University Faculty of Medicine during the 2019-2020 academic year, in accordance with the American Heart Association guidelines. A total of 165 students (93 first-year and 72 sixth-year) participated in the online survey. The results demonstrated that the knowledge level of sixth-year students was significantly higher compared to first-year students (p < 0.05). These findings highlight the importance of incorporating education on preventable diseases such as ARF into medical curricula.