Survey of physician knowledge about hemochromatosis.
OBJECTIVE
To survey physicians about knowledge of hemochromatosis.


METHODS
A questionnaire was faxed to American physicians.


RESULTS
A total of 2,563 evaluable responses were obtained. There were > or = 70% correct responses about at-risk population, associated abnormalities, and population screening. There were 32% and 53% correct answers about diagnosis and treatment, respectively. A total of 8.0% and 4.9% reported asking > 75% of patients about family history of hemochromatosis and iron overload, respectively. Less than 25% requested HFE mutation analysis in the previous year. Correct answers were associated with academic practice, internal medicine specialty, and medical school graduation within 10 years.


CONCLUSIONS
Many physicians have inadequate knowledge about hemochromatosis diagnosis and treatment.
Immunogenetics Program, Departments of Microbiology, Medicine, and Epidemiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Alabama, USA.
Ronald T
RT
Acton
James C
JC
Barton
Linda
L
Casebeer
Lynya
L
Talley
D002983:Clinical Competence; D003625:Data Collection; D003710:Demography; D004501:Education, Medical; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006432:Hemochromatosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D019190:Iron Overload; D008297:Male; D010820:Physicians; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires