Few people are aware of the importance of anesthesiologists and the specialty of anesthesia [3]. Many anesthesiologists have had difficulties in the past with relation to matters involving the standing of their field. 73% of participants in our survey were aware that anesthesiologists were medical professionals. It ranges from 50–88.7% in earlier research carried out elsewhere in the world [2, 4, 5]. However, there isn't much information available regarding anesthesiologists, and a number of studies have found that the general public mistakenly think they're not medical professionals [6]. Shevde et al stated that 68% of the 800 patients in their research in 1991 knew what an anesthesiologist did [6]. Another survey indicated that 58% of people knew that anesthesiologists were specialists, which was a lower rate than that for other disciplines [7]. These knowledge ratios can be related to the high levels of psychological stress that patients experience before surgery, as well as the fact that many patients have a difficult time remembering the anesthesiologist due to the enormous number of medical employees, they deal with [8, 9].
In our survey, 31% of participants reported anesthesiologists administering medications and monitoring patients throughout surgery, and 30% indicated they also took care of the patient afterward. This result differs from comparable research conducted in the Indian context, where it was claimed that anesthesiologists only provide medications [7, 10]. The majority of study participants (67%) were familiar with the names of various anesthetic procedures. An investigation carried out in Pakistan produced conclusions that were similar [11].
It was upsetting to see that only 44% of patients had read and understood the permission form's warnings about the hazards of anesthesia. Naithani et al. had similar findings [12]. This emphasizes the value of going to a pre-anesthesia evaluation clinic where patients may learn about anesthesia, various procedures, advantages, and complications/side effects while also giving their informed consent on the risks associated with anesthesia.
Our study demonstrates that although anesthesiologists serve a crucial role, few patients are aware of the field of anesthesiology and the work that anesthesiologists do. The anesthesiologists must put a lot of effort into teaching the patients. Efforts may be made to enhance patient communication and broaden community exposure via lectures, audiovisual media, and newspapers in order to increase community awareness. The perception of anesthesia will be improved by information that makes the general public more aware of the function of the anesthesiologist.