Conocimiento de médicos de 2 hospitales peruanos sobre la relación entre enfermedad periodontal y alteraciones sistémicas

Objective

To determine the level of knowledge of physicians from two Peruvian hospitals on the relationship between periodontal and systemic diseases.

Methods

This cross-sectional and descriptive study was conducted between April and May 2014 and included a total of 77 physicians, 39 from Hospital Belen de Trujillo and 38 from Hospital Victor Lazarte Echegaray (Trujillo, Peru). They were given a questionnaire that was previously submitted for validation by experts and reliability analysis (Cronbach's alpha = 0.605).

Results

The level of knowledge on periodontal disease and its relationship with diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease and pregnancy was good in 57.1% and moderate in 41.6% of physicians who responded. No differences were found as regards medical specialty (P = .348) or professional experience (P = .403).

Conclusion

The results suggest that the level of knowledge on periodontal disease and its relationship with diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease and pregnancy was good in 57.1% of physicians from Victor Lazarte Echegaray and Belen hospitals in Trujillo, Peru, in 2014.