Development and validation of a national questionnaire assessing knowledge, attitudes, and practices on neglected tropical diseases among italian medical trainees
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) affect nearly two billion people worldwide, yet preparedness to diagnose and manage them remains limited in high-income countries (HICs), where shifting epidemiology driven by climate changes, migration, mobility, international food and animal trade and global interconnection requires broader clinical competencies. Evidence on NTD-related knowledge among medical trainees in Europe is scarce. This study aimed to develop, validate, and field-test a comprehensive instrument assessing knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding NTDs among Italian medical students, recent graduates, and residents. METHODS: A structured questionnaire was developed using a multi-step approach informed by World Health Organization (WHO) Neglected Tropical Diseases priorities and a targeted literature review. Content validity was assessed through a two-round Delphi process with a multidisciplinary national expert panel (Round 1: n = 36; Round 2: n = 34), followed by external expert evaluation (n = 17). Quantitative content validation included Item- and Scale-Level Content Validity Indices (I-CVI, S-CVI/Ave) and interquartile ranges (IQR) to assess expert consensus. Reliability and psychometric properties were evaluated in a national sample of Italian medical trainees (n = 96), including internal consistency (Cronbach's α; KR-20), test-retest reliability (ICC; Cohen's κ), and item performance analyses. RESULTS: Across Delphi rounds, 91-98% of items reached consensus (IQR ≤ 1), and overall content validity was excellent (S-CVI/Ave 0.96-0.98). Reliability metrics confirmed strong internal consistency (α = 0.863; KR-20 = 0.82) and good temporal stability (ICC = 0.89; κ = 0.72-0.84). Known-groups validity was demonstrated by significantly higher knowledge scores among residents compared with medical students (p = 0.014). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides the first Delphi-validated national instrument assessing NTD-related knowledge among Italian medical trainees. The tool can offer a foundation for evaluating curricula and informing educational reform, supporting the integration of NTD-related competencies in European medical education in response to evolving global health challenges.
Source: PLoS neglected tropical diseases
Authors: Giacomo Guido, Benedetta Rossi, Anna Barbiero, Claudia Mangiapelo, Federica Perego, Eleonora Perugini, Salvatore Scarso, Spinello Antinori, Alessandro Bartoloni, Nicoletta Basilico, Gioia Bongiorno, Fabrizio Bruschi, Susanna Capone, Antonio Cascio, Adriano Casulli, Serena Cavallero, Agnese Comelli, Angela Corpolongo, Marco Del Riccio, Giuseppina De Iaco, Marco Di Luca, Trentina Di Muccio, Giovanni Dolci, Alessandra D’Abramo, Stefano D’Amelio, Sara Epis, Guido Favia, Luisa Frallonardo, Flavia Riccardo, Beatrice Formenti, Simona Gabrielli, Samuele Gaggioli, Federico Gobbi, Roberta Iatta, Sergio Lo Caputo, Valentina Mangano, Francesca Mariotti, Rosalia Marrone, Alberto Matteelli, Caterina Monari, Emanuele Nicastri, Roberta Papagni, Mariantonietta Pisaturo, Marco Giuseppe Prato, Marco Pombi, Laura Rinaldi, Ilenia Annunziata Ritacco, Emanuele Rollo, Annalisa Saracino, Chiara Sepulcri, Francesca Serapide, Michele Spinicci, Natalia Tiberti, Carlo Torti, Lorenzo Zammarchi, Francesco Di Gennaro
Institutions: University of Bari Aldo Moro, Azienda Socio Sanitaria Territoriale degli Spedali Civili di Brescia, University of Brescia, University of Florence, University of Pavia, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, University of Milan, Sapienza University of Rome, Ospedale Sacro Cuore Don Calabria, University of Pisa, University of Palermo, Istituto Nazionale per le Malattie Infettive Lazzaro Spallanzani, Azienda Sanitaria Unità Locale di Reggio Emilia, Università di Camerino, Agostino Gemelli University Polyclinic, University of Foggia, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Ospedale Madonna Delle Grazie, Azienda Usl Toscana Centro, University of Naples Federico II, University of Genoa, Magna Graecia University, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,670
Funder: Ministero della Salute
Award: G4654361699
OpenAlex ID: W7204124806