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Randomised trials within the general practice evaluation program. Why so few?
1Department of General Practice, Flinders University, South Australia. jane.raupach@dhs.sa.gov.au
Background:
The General Practice Evaluation Program (GPEP) provided competitive funding for general practice research from 1990-1999.
Methods:
Projects funded by GPEP between November 1990 and December 1999 were audited to determine the extent of randomised trials and other interventional studies.
Results:
Thirty-three (13%) of the 248 projects were interventional studies; of these 21 (8% of all projects) were randomised trials.
Conclusions:
While GPEP has made a significant contribution toward Australian general practice research, few randomised trials and other interventional studies have been funded. Reasons include the specific evaluative focus and restrictions on project duration and funding. Randomised trials should be supported within future general practice research funding.