[The effect of postgraduate education on COPD knowledge level of primary care physicians]

Besides chest disease specialists, primary care physicians also have a great role in prevention and treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The aim of this study was to evaluate the knowledge levels of primary care physicians about COPD before and after post graduate course. The level of knowledge was evaluated by a questionnaire including questions about COPD definition, prevalence, etiology, pathology, diagnostic methods, physical examination findings and treatment. Then a postgraduate course was performed about COPD and questionnaire forms were refilled. Ninety two physicians filled the questionnaire forms before and after seminar. Fifty of the physicians were female, 42 were male, mean age was 33.7 +/- 8.5 and duration of profession was 9.6 +/- 8 years. Thirty-six (39.2%) of physicians have attended a post graduate seminar on COPD previously. All physicians answered the questions about the most dominant sex that COPD was seen and etiologic agents correctly. Most of the physicians answered the questions about diseases that defined as COPD, pathology and physical examination findings incorrectly. There was no difference in number of correct answers between the physicians who have previously attended a post graduate seminar or not. Duration of profession was not correlated with correct answers. After the seminar, the number of correct answers increased significantly. Since most of the physicians answered the questions which are quite important in primary care such as COPD definition and physical examination findings incorrectly, it is thought that post graduate seminars about COPD should be performed more frequently. After the seminar, we observed significant increase in correct answers however long-term stability of this knowledge is needed to be determined in future studies.