Sampling gastro-enterologists' opinions--an OMGE study

This study describes a pilot project to sample gastroenterologists' opinions on a variety of interesting and controversial topics. At the Madrid World Congress, a sample of delegates were asked to respond to a questionnaire distributed at the meeting itself. A total of 224, representative of those attending by discipline and by geographical area, did so. The results were analysed in two days and presented to the Congress within 72 hours. Amongst the findings were several of interest. Vagotomy is now the most common operation for (elective) duodenal ulcer surgery. Three-quarters of those responding prescribe high-fibre diet for chronic diverticular disease. Over 80% routinely prescribe sulphazalazine for patients with ulcerative colitis--even in remission. The most useful mode of detection of gastro-intestinal cancer is now felt to be endoscopy, even ahead of double contrast radiology. The results should be interpreted with caution, although the survey represents findings in over 200 hospitals. The principle of an on-the-spot rapid attitude survey has been established as feasible. It is proposed to repeat the exercise on a wider scale at the next World Congress in Stockholm in 1982.