Healthcare professionals’ knowledge and experience of probiotics use in gastrointestinal diseases in Iraq

Objective: Probiotics are currently classified as part of complementary and alternative medicine and are believed to be effective in treating various gastrointestinal and other conditions. The aim of the study was to explore the available types of probiotics and the knowledge and experience of physicians regarding probiotics as therapeutic options in managing gastrointestinal diseases in Iraq, as well as the barriers that may prevent the prescription of probiotics. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between October 2023 to November 2023 in Karbala and Babel provinces, Iraq. The data about probiotics was collected from different sources. A questionnaire was provided to a convenient sample of physicians to assess their knowledge and experience. Results: Eighty-eight physicians were involved in the study. Of these, sixty-three physicians (71.60%) preferred to prescribe probiotics, which prefer tablet dosage form, mainly for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), for three to six months, with a majority for young adults. The factors associated with prescribing probiotics are IBS [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 0.082, 95% CI 0.008-0.855, p=0.036] and functional diarrhea (OR 0.053, 95% CI 0.003-0.818, p=0.035). The main barrier to prescribing probiotics was the lack of knowledge about their clinical indications. Conclusions: While most physicians in Iraq prefer prescribing probiotics, particularly for conditions like IBS and functional diarrhea, the main barrier to broader use is a lack of knowledge regarding their clinical indications. This highlights the need for improved education and training for healthcare professionals to enhance the effective use of probiotics in treating gastrointestinal diseases.