7 Awareness, Perception, Knowledge, and Attitude Toward Robotic Surgery Amongst Medical and Non-Medical Population of Lahore

Abstract

Abstract Aim This study evaluates the awareness, knowledge, and attitudes of medical and non-medical youth in Lahore toward robotic surgery. Method A cross-sectional study was conducted from March to July 2024 using convenient sampling, with 396 participants, including medical (19–30 years) and non-medical students (19–24 years) from Lahore and Karachi. Data was collected via an online questionnaire covering sociodemographics, knowledge, and attitude. Comparisons done between groups analysed using Chi-squared and non-parametric tests, with p<0.05 considered significant. Results Among the participants, 50.5% were non-medical and 49.5% were medical students. 67.3% of medical students were not interested in surgical specialties, while 40.2% considered themselves tech-savvy. 88.7% had no prior exposure to robotic surgery, but 48.5% expressed interest in learning more. Significant differences in knowledge were observed: 57.1% of medical students correctly identified robotic surgery characteristics, compared to 42.5% of non-medical students (p=0.015). 27.5% of medical students and 28.5% of non-medical students identified major advances in robotic surgery correctly (p=0.003). Among 45 students with prior knowledge, 65.2% were unaware of robotic surgery centres in Pakistan, compared to 36.6% without background knowledge (p=0.000). Furthermore, 76.1% of those with background knowledge identified robotic surgery characteristics correctly, compared to 46.3% without background knowledge (p=0.002). Similarly, 47.8% of those with knowledge identified major advances correctly, compared to 34.3% without knowledge (p=0.001). Conclusions Although awareness of robotic surgery is limited, there is strong interest in learning more. Educational initiatives and awareness campaigns are essential to bridge knowledge gaps and promote greater acceptance of robotic surgery.

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