Development of a measure of knowledge and attitudes about obstructive sleep apnea for pediatric anesthesia (OSAKA-PedAn) and survey of knowledge and attitudes about pediatric obstructive sleep apnea among Italian anesthesiologists

Background: Sleep-disordered breathing and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome are two diseases of relevant clinical and research interest, especially in the pediatric field. However, there are gaps in knowledge regarding these diseases. Methods: We performed a survey that was administered electronically, via the SurveyMonkey platform, to 15,000 Italian anesthesiologists registered on the SIAARTI mailing list for a period of 4 months (April–July 2021). Results: A total of 223 anesthesiologists completed the questionnaire (1.48%), 143 female and 79 male. Pediatric anesthetists generally responded more correctly than the general anesthesiology population. Conclusion: The topic of pediatric OSA is a topic on which to invest in training of anesthesiologists, and the OSAKA-PedAn questionnaire is a valid tool to test the level of basic competence and that achieved.