title: The Canadian Optometry Survey: report on the utilization of diagnostic pharmaceutical agents by Canadian optometrists.
abstract: This study represents the first national survey of optometrists in Canada. A mailed questionnaire was designed and implemented in order to discover how optometrists have reacted to the introduction of diagnostic pharmaceutical agent (DPA) legislation in Canada and to determine what variables are important predictors of DPA use. The data collected were also used to test the null hypothesis that DPA legislation does not affect the use of mydriatic/cycloplegic agents by optometrists. A stratified random sampling procedure was used to select 230 optometrists (roughly 10% of the practicing profession) for inclusion in the study. Over 90% of the subjects completed and returned the questionnaire. A statistically significant and important association was found between mydriatic/cycloplegic drug use and legislation (p less than 0.05 and odds ratio = 2.18). Legislation, type of practice, age, and optometry school attended were all found to be associated with DPA use.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Krueger
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Trevino
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002170:Canada; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003519:Cyclopentolate; D003710:Demography; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D009907:Optometry / Q000639:trends; D010648:Phenylacetates; D011680:Pupil / Q000187:drug effects*; D011725:Pyridines; D011897:Random Allocation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014331:Tropicamide
chemical_list: D010648:Phenylacetates; D011725:Pyridines; D003519:Cyclopentolate; D014331:Tropicamide