Too many surveys! Eliciting the views of general practitioners for not participating in postal surveys

2004 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Asaduzzaman Khan ◽  
Rafat Hussain ◽  
David Plummer ◽  
Victor Minichiello
Keyword(s):  
General Practice ◽  
General Practitioners ◽  
Overall Response Rate ◽  
New South ◽  
Postal Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Sexually Transmitted ◽  
Research Activities ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Survey Results

This study explored the reasons general practitioners (GPs) are reluctant to participate in a postal survey. A cross-sectional postal survey was conducted among currently practising GPs in New South Wales, Australia, in 2002, who were asked to complete a questionnaire on the management of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The overall response rate for the main STI survey was 45.4%. The GPs who did not respond to the STI questionnaire were sent a one-page non-response questionnaire asking them to report their reasons for not participating in the STI survey. Of the 491 non-responding GPs, 116 (23.6%) completed the non-response questionnaire and form the basis of the present paper. The key reasons reported by GPs for not participating in postal surveys were acute time constraints imposed by increasing workload including substantially increased paperwork, receiving too many survey requests, low STI caseload, and few incentives or returns on their time spent on completing surveys. While researchers need to be cognisant of constraints in general practice, it is also important to develop strategies for increasing GP involvement in research activities. To help improve participation of GPs in postal surveys, we recommend involvement of GPs in the design and conduct of research on issues relevant to general practice along with provision of feedback of survey results.

General Practitioners' Help-seeking Intentions for Mental Health Problems

2006 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 66
Author(s):  
Fiona Davies ◽  
Frank P Deane ◽  
Andrew Dalley
Keyword(s):  
General Practitioners ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
New South ◽  
Postal Survey ◽  
Alcohol Problems ◽  
Suicidal Thoughts ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Seeking Help ◽  
Drug And Alcohol

The objectives of this study were to determine general practitioners' (GPs) intentions to seek help for drug and alcohol problems and persistent suicidal thoughts, as well as their preferred sources of help. A postal survey of all GPs in the Illawarra region of New South Wales was conducted. One hundred and thirty-six GPs completed the questionnaire. Participants indicated they were most likely to seek help for drug and alcohol problems from a GP, the NSW Doctors' Health Advisory Service, family, or friends. GPs with persistent suicidal thoughts were most likely to seek help from a psychiatrist, GP, or family. GPs reported greater intentions to seek help from psychiatrists, psychologists, phone help-lines and family for persistent suicidal thoughts compared to drug and alcohol problems. However, as depression increased, intentions to seek help from GPs and family decreased. Family and other GPs were preferred sources of help for both types of problem described in this study. GP spouses often experience high levels of burden for caring for children, their GP spouse, and at times the practice itself. The importance of GPs' spouses suggests they should be included in any programs aimed at strengthening the helping support systems for GPs. It may also be useful to educate GPs generally about how to work with colleagues who are seeking help, and the sorts of barriers they may experience in doing so.

First episode schizophrenia in general practice: a national survey

2006 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 6-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Blanaid Gavin ◽  
Walter Cullen ◽  
Brian O'Donoghue ◽  
Juan Carlos Ascencio-Lane ◽  
Gerard Bury ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
General Practice ◽  
General Practitioners ◽  
Postal Survey ◽  
Psychiatric Services ◽  
First Episode ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Intervention Service ◽  
Almost All ◽  
First Episode Schizophrenia ◽  
First Episode Of Schizophrenia

AbstractObjective: We sought to establish the views of general practitioners about detecting and managing patients with a first episode of schizophrenia in Ireland.Method: Twenty per cent of GPs were invited to participate in a cross-sectional postal survey.Results: Sixty-two per cent (n = 261) participated. Almost all (99.2%) see at least one case of suspected first episode schizophrenia annually. The most commonly (80.7%) encountered symptom is ‘bizarre behaviour’. Many (47.7%) rarely or never prescribe antipsychotics to patients whom they suspect have a first episode of schizophrenia. However, 80.6% of GPs reported that they ‘always’ refer this group of patients to psychiatric services. Over half (57.8%) advised patients with schizophrenia to continue medication for less than a year. A large number of respondents reported that it is difficult to obtain a rapid psychiatric assessment.Conclusions: GPs want more information about identifying early psychosis, a closer liaison with psychiatric services and a rapid intervention service.

scholarly journals Are printed sexually transmissible infection materials for patients appropriate? A physician perspective

Sexual Health ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 307 ◽  
Author(s):  
Asaduzzaman Khan ◽  
David Plummer
Keyword(s):  
General Practitioners ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Postal Survey ◽  
Physician Perspective ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Sexually Transmissible Infections ◽  
Information Materials ◽  
Sexually Transmissible Infection ◽  
Transmissible Infection

The data from a postal survey of 409 general practitioners (GPs) practicing in New South Wales are analysed to explore GPs’ concerns, if any, about available printed information materials on sexually transmissible infections (STI) for patients. Just over half (55%) of GPs considered the materials for patients to be inadequate and/or inappropriate with 18% considering the materials as too technical for many patients and 13% considering the materials mostly out of date. Over a fifth reported that either STI materials were not available in their clinic or they did not know where to get those materials.

Acupuncture Referrals in Rural Primary Healthcare: A Survey of General Practitioners in Rural and Regional New South Wales, Australia

2013 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 375-382 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Lee Wardle ◽  
David Sibbritt ◽  
Jon Adams
Keyword(s):  
General Practice ◽  
General Practitioners ◽  
Primary Healthcare ◽  
New South ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Healthcare Setting ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Public Subsidies ◽  
Regional Australia

Background Acupuncture services form a significant part of the Australian healthcare setting, with national registration of acupuncture practitioners, public subsidies for acupuncture services and high use of acupuncture by the Australian public. Despite these circumstances, there has been little exploration of the interface between acupuncture providers and conventional primary healthcare practitioners in rural and regional Australia. Methods A 27-item questionnaire was sent by post in the second half of 2010 to all 1486 general practitioners (GPs) currently practising in rural and regional Divisions of General Practice in New South Wales, Australia to explore their practices and attitudes to a variety of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practices. Their responses on other therapies have been published previously; this report covers acupuncture. Results A total of 585 GPs completed the questionnaire; 49 were returned as ‘no longer at this address’, resulting in an adjusted response rate of 40.7%. Two-thirds of GPs (68.3%) referred patients to an acupuncturist at least a few times per year, while only 8.4% stated that they would not refer patients to an acupuncturist under any circumstances. GPs being older (OR=6.08), GPs being women (OR=2.94), GPs practising in a rural rather than remote area (OR=6.25), GPs having higher levels of self-reported knowledge of acupuncture (OR=5.54), the use of complementary medicine (CAM) by a GP for their personal health (OR=2.37), previous prescription of CAM to other patients (OR=2.99), lack of other treatment options (OR=4.31) and GPs using CAM practitioners as the major source of their CAM information (OR=3.05) were all predictive of increased referral to acupuncture among rural GPs. Conclusions There is a significant interface between acupuncture and Australian rural and regional general practice, with generally high levels of support for acupuncture.

scholarly journals Cross-sectional analysis of coding, patient characteristics, consultation frequency and pharmacological treatment of adults with severe mental disorders in Irish general practice

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Larkin ◽  
Ivana Pericin ◽  
Brian Osborne ◽  
Philip Dodd ◽  
Claire Collins
Keyword(s):  
General Practice ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Depressive Disorder ◽  
General Practitioners ◽  
Pharmacological Treatment ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Patient Characteristics ◽  
Severe Mental Disorders ◽  
Consultation Rate ◽  
Cross Sectional

Abstract Background General practitioners are the gatekeepers of Irish healthcare and they offer continuity of care to patients. Irish general practice is therefore considered appropriate for preventing, diagnosing and managing most mental health problems. Aims This study sought to establish the coding frequency, consultation frequency, patient characteristics and pharmacological treatment of patients with severe mental disorders (SMDs) in Irish general practice. Methods A cross-sectional design was used. A finder tool embedded in the practice software assisted general practitioners (GPs) coding adult patients with SMDs. Eleven practices uploaded anonymous data on 2,203 patients. Variables analysed included disease code, consultations, prescriptions, sex, patient status and age. Results Overall, 2.9% (n = 2,337) of patients had ever been coded with a SMD, 2.4% (n = 1,964) coded with depressive disorder ever and 0.26% (n = 209) and 0.3% (n = 233) with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, respectively. Overall, 68.0% (n = 1,336) of patients with depressive disorder were female, and 74.0% (n = 171) of patients with schizophrenia were public patients. The median consultation rate in the previous 3 years was highest for schizophrenia patients at 24.5 visits. Conclusions Coding of SMDs in Irish general practice appears incomplete. Patients with SMDs have high consultation rates. Patients with depressive disorder are more likely to be female and public patients. This research suggests that the improvement of coding in Irish general practice is the first practical step required to detecting prevalence rates.

scholarly journals Collaboration amongst general practitioners and gynaecologists working in primary health care in Germany: a cross-sectional study

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Trusch ◽  
Christoph Heintze ◽  
Elena Petelos ◽  
Lorena Dini
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
General Practitioners ◽  
Interprofessional Collaboration ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Postal Survey ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Healthcare Provision ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Federal States ◽  
Key Competencies

Abstract Aim: This cross-sectional study is the first one to explore the collaboration of the influencing factors thereof amongst general practitioners (GPs) and gynaecologists (Gyns) working in primary care in urban and rural settings in Germany. Background: The number of women aged ≥ 50 years is predicted to increase in the next years in Germany. This coincides with the ageing of primary care specialists providing outpatient care. Whereas delegation of tasks to nurses as a form of interprofessional collaboration has been the target of recent studies, there is no data regarding collaboration amongst physicians in different specialisations working in primary care. We explored collaboration amongst GPs and Gyn regarding the healthcare provision to women aged ≥ 50 years. Methods: A quantitative postal survey was administered to GPs and Gyns in three federal states in Germany, focusing on care provision to women aged ≥ 50 years. A total of 4545 physicians, comprising 3514 GPs (67% of the total GP population) randomly selected, and all 1031 Gyns practicing in these states received the postal survey in March 2018. A single reminder was sent in April 2018 with data collection ending in June 2018. Multiple logistic regressions were performed for collaboration, adjusted by age and sex, alongside descriptive methods. Findings: The overall response rate was 31% (1389 respondents): 861 GPs (25%) and 528 Gyns (51%), with the mean respondent age being 54.4 years. Seventy-two per cent were female. Key competencies of collaboration are associated with working in rural federal states and with network participation. Physicians from rural states [odds ratio (OR) = 1.5, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.2, 1.9] and physicians in networks (OR = 3.0, CI = 2.3, 3.9) were more satisfied with collaboration. Collaboration to deliver services for women aged ≥ 50 years is more systematic amongst GPs and Gyns who are members of a network; increased networking could improve collaboration, and ultimately, outcomes too.

scholarly journals Testing for sexually transmitted infections in general practice: cross-sectional study

2010 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Katharine E Sadler ◽  
Nicola Low ◽  
Catherine H Mercer ◽  
Lorna J Sutcliffe ◽  
M Amir Islam ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
General Practice ◽  
Sexually Transmitted Infections ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Sexually Transmitted

An examination of the influences on New South Wales general practitioners regarding the provision of opioid substitution therapy

2013 ◽  
pp. n/a-n/a ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Holliday ◽  
Parker Magin ◽  
Christopher Oldmeadow ◽  
John Attia ◽  
Janet Dunbabin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
General Practitioners ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Substitution Therapy ◽  
Opioid Substitution Therapy ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Opioid Substitution
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