Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2022 Dec;16(6):593-600.
doi: 10.1177/20494637221106658. Epub 2022 Jun 8.

Survey of knowledge and attitude towards fibromyalgia among physicians in Karachi, Pakistan

Syed Tafazzul Hyder Zaidi  1 , Hira Ashraf  2 , Syed Sarmad Javaid  3 , Ahmed Mustafa Rashid  3 , Shajee-Ul -Haque  3 , Syeda Sidra Fatima  4 , Nouman Mansoor Ali  3
Affiliations

Survey of knowledge and attitude towards fibromyalgia among physicians in Karachi, Pakistan

Syed Tafazzul Hyder Zaidi et al. Br J Pain. 2022 Dec.

Abstract

Objectives: Our study aims to assess knowledge and understanding of FM among doctors employed at a tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan with a focus on its diagnostic criteria, treatment modalities, and general knowledge of symptoms.

Study design: Cross-sectional Study.

Methods: Our cross-sectional study recruited participants through convenience sampling. A total of 104 participants responded, which included (a) House Officers, (b) Medical Officers, and (c) Residents. A structured questionnaire was used, and an electronic form was generated which was then emailed to the participants to acquire their responses.

Results: The majority (66.3%) of our respondents were female and the median age was 26 years. A majority (93.3%) accepted FM as a separate and distinct clinical identity, and 79.8% were confident in recognizing its general symptoms. Widespread pain (95.2%) and fatigue (80.8%) were correctly identified as most commonly observed symptoms. Moreover, 68.3% of respondents possessed no knowledge of both ACR 1990 and 2010 diagnostic criteria for FM. Of those aware, majority favored using the most recent ACR 2010 criteria (72.7%). Majority of our respondents (75%) preferred using pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical interventions simultaneously in the treatment.

Conclusions: Our study indicates that while physicians have satisfactory knowledge of the symptoms and treatment modalities of FM, a knowledge gap concerning its diagnostic criteria exists. Proper treatment can only be successful when physicians successfully diagnose FM, therefore, future training programs should use this fact as a stepping stone for advances in its healthcare.

Keywords: American college of rheumatology criteria; fibromyalgia; physician; symptoms.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
American college of rheumatology criteria.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Symptoms.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Treatment options.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
Pharmacological treatment.
Figure 5.
Figure 5.
Non-pharmacological treatment.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Perrot S, Choy E, Petersel D, et al. Survey of physician experiences and perceptions about the diagnosis and treatment of fibromyalgia. BMC Health Serv Res 2012; 12: 356. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Alodiabi F, Alhowimel A, Alotaibi M, et al. Knowledge, awareness, and perceptions of the diagnosis and management of fibromyalgia among physical therapists in Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional survey. Open Access Rheumatol Res Rev 2020; 12: 293–301. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Amber TK, Brooks L, Chee J, et al. Assessing the perceptions of fibromyalgia syndrome in United States among academic physicians and medical students: where are we and where are we headed? J Musculoskelet Pain 2015; 22(1): 13–19.
    1. Walitt B, Nahin RL, Katz RS, et al. The prevalence and characteristics of fibromyalgia in the 2012 national health interview survey. PLOS One 2015; 10(9): e0138024. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Kumbhare D, Ahmed S, Sander T, et al. A survey of physicians’ knowledge and adherence to the diagnostic criteria for fibromyalgia. Pain Med 2018; 19(6): 1254–1264. - PubMed