Evaluation of medical students’ awareness regarding acute rheumatic fever

Acute rheumatic fever (ARF) is an autoimmune disease that develops as a complication of group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal infections and may lead to rheumatic heart disease, particularly in children and young adults in developing countries. With an annual incidence of approximately 10–20 per 100,000, Turkey is considered a moderate-to-high risk country. Early diagnosis, treatment, and prophylaxis are crucial in the prevention of ARF and rheumatic heart disease. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge level of first-year medical students (in the basic medical education phase) and sixth-year students (who had completed their clinical clerkships) at Eskisehir Osmangazi University Faculty of Medicine during the 2019–2020 academic year, in accordance with the American Heart Association guidelines. A total of 165 students (93 first-year and 72 sixth-year) participated in the online survey. The results demonstrated that the knowledge level of sixth-year students was significantly higher compared to first-year students (p < 0.05). These findings highlight the importance of incorporating education on preventable diseases such as ARF into medical curricula.