Patients’ knowledge and perception of anaesthesia and the anaesthetist at a tertiary health care facility in Ghana

Background: Anaesthesia has always been misconstrued as a ‘behind the scenes’ specialty. Despite advancements in anaesthesia, there is inadequate public knowledge regarding the specialty, the scope of the functions of anaesthetists, and the pivotal role anaesthetists play in the healthcare delivery system. This study therefore assessed the knowledge and perception of anaesthesia and the role of anaesthetists among patients in a tertiary healthcare facility.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted over 3 months in 2015 among 279 patients accessing services at the pre-anaesthetic clinic of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital. Patients were interviewed using a structured questionnaire assessing socio-demographic characteristics, their knowledge and perceptions about anaesthesia, and the role of anaesthetists.Results: The majority of patients (62.4%) had heard about anaesthesia. Most (85%) knew that specially trained doctors or nurses were responsible for the delivery of anaesthesia. Nearly half the patients...