A comparative survey study of knowledge, attitude, and practice towards medical ethics among surgical and non-surgical physicians

Abstract Background Medical ethics is the ethical branch that deals with moral concerns through the application of certain standards and principles in medical practice. With the vast development in medical and surgical practice, a lot of ethical issues arose. This cross-sectional study aimed to compare physicians from surgical and non-surgical departments (303 and 243 physicians respectively) regarding their knowledge, practice, and attitude toward medical ethics. It was carried out at Tanta University Hospital, using both online and printed questionnaires that included socio-demographic data, subscales designed to evaluate knowledge (15 questions), attitude and practice (15 more questions) about medical ethics. Descriptive statistics were performed to assess the relations between different study variables. Results A total of 546 participants completed the questionnaire, with 55.5% from non-surgical departments and 44.5% from surgical departments. The demographic analysis revealed no statistically significant differences. The results of the study showed that the non-surgical group exhibited higher levels of knowledge compared to the surgical group. The non-surgical group demonstrated higher compliance with ethical practices compared to the surgical group. Logistic regression analysis confirmed the association between specialty and knowledge/practice levels, with higher qualifications and professional positions correlating with better knowledge and practice. Conclusion This study highlights the variations in knowledge, attitude, and practice of medical ethics among physicians in non-surgical and surgical departments. Further efforts are required to enhance ethical education and promote consistent ethical practices.