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Awareness of hypertension guidelines in general practice: a pilot study in Lombardy
Cesare Cuspidi1, Iassen Michev, Barbara Severgnini
1Institute of Internal Medicine, Centro di Fisiologia Clinica e Ipertensione, University of Milan, Ospedale Maggiore IRCCS, Milan, Italy. dhipertensione@libero.it
Background:
An adequate knowledge of hypertension guidelines by primary care physicians is a fundamental step for the improvement of the diagnosis and treatment of hypertension in the general population. The aim of this study was to evaluate, in a local survey in the northern area of Lombardy, the general practitioners' knowledge of the WHO/ISH guidelines.
Methods:
A 10-item mail questionnaire based on the 1999 WHO/ISH hypertension guidelines was sent to a sample of 280 primary care physicians. The number of answers in agreement with the guidelines was used as a measure of guidelines knowledge, that was considered adequate if a correct answer to 6 out of 10 questions, in addition to an adequate definition of hypertension, was provided.
Results:
The analysis was based on 83 returned questionnaires, that means a 29% response rate. Guidelines knowledge was adequate in 23.5% of the total study population and the mean score of correct answers was 5.5 points. A significant negative correlation (r = 0.27, p < 0.05) was observed between the mean score of knowledge and the physician's age.
Conclusions:
In a sample of primary care physicians from a northern region of Italy, the hypertension guidelines knowledge is inadequate; the reasons and the extent of this poor awareness will require further studies.