Work

Neurophobia among students and interns at the Abidjan Faculty of Medicine (Côte d'Ivoire)

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Introduction: As defined by Jozefowicz in 1994, neurophobia is the fear of neuroscience and clinical neurology. We carried out this study, the first on neurophobia in the Ivory Coast, in order to assess its prevalence among medical students and interns in the Ivorian environment, to identify the factors involved and to propose solutions. Methodology: and hospital interns. The Schon questionnaire, transcribed using google form software, was sent to students using the "wathsapp" social network. Result: = 1228). The sex ratio was 1.65 in favour of men. The subjects considered that they had a level of competence in neurology higher than 6 of the nine specialities selected. These were nephrology, cardiology, rheumatology, endocrinology, psychiatry and geriatrics. Neurology was considered more difficult than cardiology, endocrinology, psychiatry and geriatrics. Subjects' level of knowledge in neurology was rated higher than in nephrology, cardiology, rheumatology, endocrinology, psychiatry and geriatrics. The subjects' level of interest in neurology was higher than in the other specialities. 27.46 % of subjects surveyed were neurophobic. Conclusion: The impact of neurophobia remains harmful to public health, as it is a factor in the sub-optimal management of patients with neurological disorders.

Source: eNeurologicalSci

DOI: 10.1016/j.ensci.2025.100566