title: Doctors' knowledge of post-splenectomy prophylaxis.
abstract: A questionnaire was sent to 160 hospital doctors and 200 general practitioners about post-splenectomy prophylaxis during the month of September 1995. A total of 118 questionnaires were returned (43% hospital doctors and 25% GPs). Most doctors (99%) knew that splenectomised patients were at risk of pneumococcal infection; 72% of hospital doctors and 50% of GPs knew of the risk of Haemophilus influenza infection but only 50% of hospital doctors and 33% of GPs knew of the same risks involving meningococcal infection and malaria. Half of the GPs were not aware of H. influenzae type B (Hib) vaccine for prophylaxis and 85% of these and 50% of hospital doctors did not know prophylaxis should be lifelong. There was no significant difference in the knowledge between hospital doctors and GPs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Arrowe Park Hospital, Wirral, UK.
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Palejwala
authors.forename: L Y
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: King
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000517:prevention & control; D002983:Clinical Competence; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000517:prevention & control; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013156:Splenectomy
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents