title: Using the perception-reality gap to alter prescribing patterns.
abstract: Thirty physicians in a university family medicine teaching practice were asked to estimate their rate of prescribing diazepam to six age/sex groupings of patients within their practice. Their actual prescribing rates as recorded by a computerized data collection system were not accurately perceived. After the physicians were informed of the gap between perceived and actual prescribing, significant changes in prescribing behavior occurred. Awareness of a perception-reality gap in primary care practice prescribing offers a method of continuing medical education that may significantly alter prescribing behavior in ways beneficial to patient care.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D003975:Diazepam / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011307:Drug Prescriptions; D004363:Drug Utilization; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing; D005260:Female; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009864:Ontario; D010465:Perception; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000523:psychology*; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D003975:Diazepam