Anesthesiology and Emergency Medicine Personnel Attitudes towards Preoperative Airway Assessment and Its Application in North of Iran

Background and purpose: Preoperative airway assessment is of great importance. The aim of this study was to investigate the attitudes of anesthesia and emergency medicine personnel towards preoperative airway assessment and its use in hospitals located in north of Iran. Materials and methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among anesthesiology personnel in the hospitals of Mazandaran and Golestan provinces and Babol hospitals. Data was collected using a researcher-made questionnaire consisting of personnel demographic information, airway assessment techniques, and attitudes (8-item Likert scale). Data analysis was done applying t-test, ANOVA, Chi-square, and Fisher test. Results: The research population included 215 people of whom 193 (49.7% in Mazandaran province, 23.3% in Babol, and 26.9% in Golestan province) completed the questionnaires. The respondents included 64.2% females. Totally, 83.9% were found to have positive attitudes towards preoperative airway assessment. The mean score for attitude was 32.6±3.2 (23-40). There were significant differences between the attitudes of anesthesiology technicians, residents, and anaesthetists (OR= 2.648, CI: 95% [1.348-5.202], P <0.003). Among the participants, 94.3% reported using short neck assessment in preoperative airway assessment. Conclusion: Among numerous airway assessment techniques, the participants had a positive attitude towards using some of them. Therefore, more evidence-based tests are needed in training programs.