PURPOSE To explore the decision-making of general practitioners (GPs) concerning treatment with antibiotics and/or oral corticosteroids and hospitalization for COPD patients with exacerbations. METHODS Thematic analysis of seven focus groups with 53 GPs from urban and rural areas in Norway, Germany, Wales, Poland, Russia, the Netherlands, and Hong Kong. RESULTS Four main themes were identif...

BACKGROUND In recent decades, general practitioners (GPs) have become critical components of mental health services. However, in Croatia the role of GPs in mental health services is still mostly perceived as "gate keeping", whereas seeking help for serious mental illnesses is mostly restricted to psychiatrists. The aim of this study is to investigate the practices and attitudes of family doctor...

Revised selection mechanisms to medicine now include an adjunct admission test known as the HPAT. Stakeholder acceptability is a key issue. General Practitioners (GPs) represent an important stakeholder group. A questionnaire was administered to a regional sample of GPs evaluating their knowledge of the new selection system, views on acceptability, performance on sample HPAT questions and perce...

BACKGROUND Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common childhood disorder with international prevalence estimates of 5 % in childhood, yet significant evidence exists that far fewer children receive ADHD services. In many countries, ADHD is assessed and diagnosed in specialist mental health or neuro-developmental paediatric clinics, to which referral by General (Family) Practiti...

In the context of current clinical practice guidance, this paper will analyse role GPs in decision-making about primary prevention cardiovascular disease (CVD) using concept pharmaceuticalisation. Drawing on thematic analysis semi-structured interviews with 20 GPs, argues that way approach CVD pharmaceuticalisation is shaped by their understandings and use guidelines (and knowledge they embody)...

General practitioners (GPs) are encouraged to play a major part in the care and treatment of drug users; however, many regularly encounter physical or verbal abuse and feel frustration, disappointment, and disillusionment when treating such patients. Furthermore, communication difficulties between doctor and patient and the advent of HIV serve to intensify these problems. In order to address th...

Aims: To provide baseline data regarding GPs’ knowledge, experience, and attitudes toward the management of PsychoStimulant Drug Misuse (PSDM) patients to inform future education and training initiatives. Methods: A structured cross-sectional postal questionnaire was developed following initial content setting interviews, piloted then sent to a sample of 250 GPs in north east Scotland. Findings...

BACKGROUND In primary care, the diagnosis of dementia is often delayed and the 2007 National Audit Office Report concluded action was needed to improve patient care and value for money. AIM To investigate the attitudes, awareness, and practice of GPs in England regarding early diagnosis and management of patients with dementia, and perceptions of local specialist services, to identify trainin...

BACKGROUND The way GPs work does not appear to be adapted to the needs of depressive patients. Therefore we wanted to examine Swedish GPs' conceptions of depressive disorders and their treatment and GPs' ideas of factors that may influence their manner of work with depressive patients. METHODS A postal questionnaire to a stratified sample of 617 Swedish GPs. RESULTS Most respondents assumed...