PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Saleem, Ahmed H. AU - Al Rashed, Faisal A. AU - Alkharboush, Ghassan A. AU - Almazyed, Othman M. AU - Olaish, Awad H. AU - Almeneessier, Aljohara S. AU - BaHammam, Ahmed S. TI - Primary care physicians’ knowledge of sleep medicine and barriers to transfer of patients with sleep disorders AID - 10.15537/smj.2017.5.17936 DP - 2017 May 01 TA - Saudi Medical Journal PG - 553--559 VI - 38 IP - 5 4099 - http://smj.org.sa/content/38/5/553.short 4100 - http://smj.org.sa/content/38/5/553.full SO - Saudi Med J2017 May 01; 38 AB - Objectives: To assess primary care physicians’ (PCPs) knowledge and attitudes toward sleep disorders.Methods: In this cross-sectional quantitative study, we surveyed 88 primary care centers under the Ministry of Health during 2015 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, using a combination of pre-designed validated questionnaires. Knowledge was assessed using the Assessment of Sleep Knowledge in Medical Education (ASKME) questionnaire, and attitude was assessed using a pre-designed survey. For numerical variables, t-test was used, and for categorical variables, Chi-square test was used.Results: Data from 223 PCPs (males 50.2%) were analyzed. Among the participants, 44 (19.9%) did not know that sleep medicine is a distinct medical specialty, and 24 (10.9%) felt that sleep disorders are uncommon medical problems based on their daily practice. Only 87 (39%) of physicians stated that they referred patients with sleep disorders to specialized medical centers for further management. The mean score of the ASKME questionnaire was 14.4 ± 4 out of 30 (48%). The majority of physicians (78.5%) obtained a score between 11 and 20. Score results were not related to gender or years of practice.Conclusion: Primary care physicians’ have a low level of awareness and poor knowledge of sleep medicine and sleep disorders.