Knowledge and attitudes regarding care of leg ulcers. Survey of family physicians.
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.
Graham
Ian D
ID
Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Health Research Institute, Ottawa Hospital, Ont. igraham@OHRI.ca
Harrison
Margaret B
MB
Shafey
Mona
M
Keast
David
D
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