Biswas, LMandal, AChattopadhyay, SGhosh, ABiswas, SBhattacharyya, S.2025-05-142025-05-142024-12Biswas L, Mandal A, Chattopadhyay S, Ghosh A, Biswas S, Bhattacharyya S.. Leena Biswas, Ananya Mandal, Suman Chattopadhyay, Arijit Ghosh, Supreeti Biswas, Subhradipta Bhattacharyya. National Journal of Physiology, Pharmacy and Pharmacology. 2024 Dec; 14(12): 2669-26742231-32062320-4672https://imsear.searo.who.int/handle/123456789/247848Background: Metered dose inhalers (MDI) remain the mainstay of drug delivery in patients with bronchial asthma and other respiratory diseases for the last few decades. India has an estimated 15–20 million asthmatics; rough estimates indicate a prevalence of between 10% and 15% in 5–11 years old children. Its advantages include better adherence and safety profile with improved efficacy. However, imperfect inhaler use technique worsens health outcomes with poor disease control. Communication and demonstration skills of health care professionals are thus vital parts of asthma therapy while educating patients regarding MDI use. The use of different devices has been included in Phase II of CBME Curriculum. Hence, communication and demonstration skills need to be learnt by all Indian medical graduates. Thus, a study was planned to assess communication and demonstration skills regarding MDI use of phase II MBBS students. Aim: To evaluate and analyze the communication and demonstration skills on the use of MDI among Phase-II MBBS students of a Medical College in Kolkata. Methods: A total of 243 second year MBBS students participated in the study. They were asked to demonstrate the correct technique of use of an MDI along with suitable communication with the interviewer who posed as a patient. The assessment of their demonstration and communication skills was done on the basis of scores obtained on a pre- validated and tested checklist. For the assessment of skills, a single interviewer was appointed to avoid inter-individual bias. Students were categorized according to performance into excellent (>75% scores), good (60%–74%), fair (50%– 59%), and fail (<49%) which was further classified into poor (49%–35%), and very poor (<35%). Results: Average scores obtained by the students were 59.2% ± 28.99% and 91% ± 11.64% in communication and demonstration skills, respectively. Students performed significantly better with demonstration compared to communication skills (p < 0.001; Unpaired t test). During the demonstration, quite a significant number of students missed stating the steps involving deep and steady breathing to the dummy patient. As per the results of communication skills, 32.9%, 13.9%, and 13.9% of students were in excellent, good, and fair categories, respectively. As per results of demonstration skills, 95.47%, 2.8%, and 1.23% of students were in excellent, good, and fair categories, respectively. Only 1 student failed in the demonstration. However, 95 students failed in communication out of which 13.58% and 25.5% scored poor was very poor, respectively. Conclusion: The study concludes that phase II medical students in this college were well versed with the steps and technique of using the MDI as seen from the high scores of demonstration skills. However, they seem to be lacking in adequate communication skills while explaining the technique to a patient. Hence, there is a need for more training regarding communication skills.Drug deliveryMetered dose inhalerCommunication skillsBronchial asthmaJournal ArticleIndiaDepartment of Pharmacology, Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College & Hospital (NRSMC&H), Kolkata - 700014, IndiaDepartment of Pharmacology, Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College & Hospital (NRSMC&H), Kolkata - 700014, IndiaDepartment of Pharmacology, Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College & Hospital (NRSMC&H), Kolkata - 700014, IndiaDepartment of Pharmacology, Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College & Hospital (NRSMC&H), Kolkata - 700014, IndiaDepartment of Pharmacology, Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College & Hospital (NRSMC&H), Kolkata - 700014, IndiaDepartment of Pharmacology, Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College & Hospital (NRSMC&H), Kolkata - 700014, India