1.Neurophobia among family medicine specialist trainees in Malaysia
Leng Yien Chua ; Normaskinah Yahya ; Sharifah Hanim Syed Khairuddin ; Nor Faizah Mohamad, ; Pusparani Jaganathan ; Fan Kee Hoo ; Wan Aliaa Wan Sulaiman ; Siew Mooi Ching ; Kai Wei Lee
Neurology Asia 2020;25(3):367-376
Background: Neurophobia is defined as the fear of neural sciences and clinical neurology. Our study
aims to determine the prevalence and factors associated with neurophobia among family medicine
specialist trainees in Malaysia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among family medicine
specialist trainees. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to determine the factors associated
with neurophobia. Results: A total of 415 subjects were enrolled into this study. The prevalence of
neurophobia was 66% (n=274/415). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, having poor knowledge
in neurology (odds ratio [OR] 3.85, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.87-7.94), those with self-declared
phobia toward neurology or neuroscience subject (OR 2.56 95% CI 1.30-5.03); those whose practice
were in government sector (OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.09-2.88); those who perceived basic neuroscience
(OR 1.95, 95% CI 1.03-3.67) and the complex clinical examination were important (OR 2.10, 95%
CI 1.19-3.72); and those who perceived textbooks were not a useful method of learning (OR 1.78,
95% CI 1.05-3.02) were more prone to have neurophobia.
Conclusion: Two-thirds of family medicine specialist trainees in Malaysia found neurology a difficult
subject. Among the factors associated with neurophobia were those with poor knowledge in neurology,
and those who self-declared to have phobia toward neurology or neuroscience subject.