Impact of a structured influenza seminar on pediatric residents’ knowledge and attitudes: a pre-post single-group study

BACKGROUND: Influenza remains a primary global health concern associated with significant morbidity and mortality, especially among high-risk pediatric populations. Pediatric residents are involved in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of influenza during their training; however, gaps in influenza-related knowledge have been reported. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of a structured educational seminar on improving pediatric residents' knowledge of influenza symptoms, complications, treatment, and vaccination practices. METHODS: This prospective, single-center, pre-post study included pediatric residents at a tertiary hospital. Participants completed the same structured 25-item questionnaire immediately before and one month after a 60-minute educational seminar on influenza. The questionnaire assessed knowledge of clinical symptoms, transmission routes, antiviral treatment, chemoprophylaxis, and vaccination. Item-level correct response rates and the total knowledge score (range 0-25) were compared between pre- and post-seminar assessments. RESULTS: Sixty-two residents participated. After the seminar, correct response rates increased for several clinical features, including sudden onset of illness (p = 0.006), rapid progressive disease (p = 0.003), diarrhea (p < 0.001), abdominal pain (p < 0.001), febrile seizure (p = 0.003), and complex febrile seizure (p < 0.001). Knowledge regarding transmission routes and oseltamivir-related adverse effects improved significantly (p < 0.05), while chemoprophylaxis-related items showed mixed changes in correct response rates. The total knowledge score increased from 14 (interquartile range [IQR]: 12-16.25) to 18 (IQR: 15-21) after the seminar (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: A single, structured educational seminar was associated with improvements in several domains of influenza-related knowledge among pediatric residents. The observed declines in selected chemoprophylaxis items indicate that some topics may require repeated or reinforced educational approaches.