The objective of this study was to investigate factors associated with neurophobia among medical trainees in India.

A 16-question standardized email survey was administered to medical trainees at various private and governmental medical institutions in India. The target sample population included MBBS students, MBBS graduates, and DNB/MD/Diploma students. A total of 1,227 respondents were included in our statistical analysis, calculated in R studio. Respondents were stratified into those with and without self-identified neurophobia. Proportions of baseline characteristics between the two groups were compared via chi-square or Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to determine the relative odds of each factor's contribution to neurophobia.

Factors that demonstrated less risk of neurophobia were male sex (odds ratio (OR): 0.77, p=0.049), excellent neurology knowledge level (OR: 0.23, p=0.00066), good neurology knowledge level (OR: 0.34, p<0.0001), neurology taught by a neurologist (OR: 0.72, p= 0.047), and good quality of neurology instruction (OR: 0.56, p= 0.00053). Variables that increased risk of neurophobia in respondents were poor neurology knowledge level (OR: 2.39, p<0.00001), very poor neurology knowledge level (OR: 1.96, p=0.014), private sector placement (OR: 1.40, p=0.0086), below average quality of neurology instruction (OR: 1.54, p= 0.013), and poor quality of neurology instruction (OR: 1.78, p= 0.011).

Factors that were associated with an increased risk of neurophobia were found to be female gender, poor and very poor neurology knowledge level, private sector placement, below average quality of neurology instruction, and poor quality of neurology instruction. We encourage further studies to analyze factors associated with neurophobia as well as address neurophobia gender discrepancies in medical and academic settings.