title: Knowledge and attitudes regarding care of leg ulcers. Survey of family physicians.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine family physicians' perceptions of and attitudes toward leg ulcer care and awareness of effective treatments for venous leg ulcers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Self-administered, cross-sectional faxed and mailed survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ottawa-Carleton, Ont.
  
  
  METHODS
  All physicians in the region who were members of the College of Family Physicians of Canada.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Response rate was 62%. During 1 month, 107 physicians reported having 226 patients with leg ulcers; only a few patients had had ultrasound assessment. Few physicians (16%) were confident about managing leg ulcers; 61% reported not knowing enough about wound-care products. More than 50% were unaware that compression is effective treatment for venous ulcers. Problems reported were lack of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for leg ulcer care (82%); absence of evidence-based protocols in home-care agencies (72%); lack of access to wound-care products (69%) and wound-care centres (66%); and poor communication among health care workers (60%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Better access to diagnostic assessments and use of compression therapy for venous leg ulcers would improve care.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Health Research Institute, Ottawa Hospital, Ont. igraham@OHRI.ca
authors.forename: Ian D
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Graham
authors.forename: Margaret B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.forename: Mona
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shafey
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Keast
mesh_terms: D001458:Bandages; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D007871:Leg Ulcer / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D009864:Ontario; D010821:Physicians, Family; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011361:Professional Competence; D011787:Quality of Health Care