South Australian hypertension survey. General practitioner knowledge and reported management practices--a cause for concern?
OBJECTIVE
To survey South Australian general practitioners to investigate their knowledge and reported management of patients with hypertension.


METHODS
Of 156 randomly selected SA general practitioners 132 responded to a questionnaire survey.


RESULTS
This survey showed substantial differences between general practitioners in their knowledge about hypertension and in their reported practices for diagnostic levels, investigations to be undertaken once diagnosis had been made, levels at which pharmaceutical treatment should be initiated, at which level treatment was regarded as having attained satisfactory control, and length of time for routine review. There was also a demand for materials to be provided to assist in the management of this important condition.


CONCLUSIONS
There is a perceived need for better and more appropriate educational materials and a need for a different approach to try and reduce the reported variability in management of patients with hypertension by general practitioners.
Steven
I D
ID
Research and Health Promotion Unit, Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, Stepney.
Wilson
D H
DH
Wakefield
M A
MA
Beilby
J
J
Coffey
G A
GA
Esterman
A J
AJ
Golding
A P
AP
Graham
N M
NM
Litt
J C
JC
Rohrsheim
R A
RA
D000368:Aged; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001794:Blood Pressure; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010821:Physicians, Family; D013021:South Australia; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents