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Nationwide Study on Practices Related to Screening Among Greek Paediatricians
Christos Dresios1, Georgios Rachiotis1, Xanthi Rousou1
1Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, University of Thessaly School of Medicine, Larissa, Greece.
Insights
Greek pediatricians show significant gaps and variability in screening practices, particularly those with less experience or higher patient loads. Development of a national childhood screening program is recommended.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Screening practices are crucial for early detection of childhood diseases.
- Variability in adherence to guidelines can impact patient outcomes.
- Understanding current practices among healthcare providers is essential for targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the current screening practices of pediatricians in Greece.
- To identify factors associated with suboptimal screening adherence.
- To inform the development of a national screening program.
Main Methods:
- A nationwide survey of 371 pediatricians in Greece.
- Data collected via a pilot-tested questionnaire.
- Statistical analysis included multivariable logistic regression and latent class analysis.
Main Results:
- A response rate of 78.6% (294 participants).
- Pediatricians with <15 years of experience, age >50, or >80 patients/week showed higher non-compliance.
- Female gender, age <50, and private sector work correlated with poorer adherence to international guidelines.
Conclusions:
- Significant gaps and variability exist in Greek pediatricians' screening practices.
- Experience, age, patient volume, and practice setting influence adherence.
- A national childhood screening program is needed in Greece to standardize care.
Objective:
The aim of this study was to investigate pediatricians' practices toward screening in Greece.
Materials And Methods:
The survey was conducted within a six month period in a stratified random sample of 371 pediatricians. A questionnaire with three sections was created and pilot tested. Socio-demographic characteristics associated with inappropriate screening were identified using multivariable logistic regression models and latent class analysis.
Results:
A total of 294 participants completed the telephone survey (response rate 78.6%). The median number of wrong answers to questions related to pediatricians' practice towards screening recommendations was 7±1.57 with minimum 2 and maximum 11 wrong answers. Pediatricians, with less than 15 years of experience, age >50 years old or view more than eighty patients per week, have had significantly higher odds of responding wrong to more than seven questions, hence be less compliant to USPSTF screening guidelines. Latent class analysis has shown that female gender, age <50 years old, and work in the private sector, were associated with a poor practice towards international screening guidelines.
Conclusion:
Our survey found gaps in screening practices among a nationwide sample of Greek pediatricians. Moreover considerable variability in reported practices of screening was noted. There is a need for the development of a national childhood screening program in Greece.
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