title: Diagnosis and interpretation of injuries: a study of Dutch general practitioners.
abstract: This study explores the ability of Dutch general practitioners (GPs) in recognising types of injury. In the three sample cases, 48-91% classified the injury correctly. Only 9% of GPs recognised self-harm injury and in the 3rd case (child abuse) only 15% referred to the improbability of the account given. Only 13% appeared able to assess two or three cases (almost) correctly. Recognition and description by Dutch GPs of these injuries is inadequate. This may have far-reaching consequences for the victims. The increasing incidence of cases of violence demands that more attention should be paid to the issue during both basic and specialist medical training.
authors.affiliation: Municipal Public Health Service, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. ureijnders@gggd.amsterdam.nl
authors.forename: Udo J L
authors.initials: UJ
authors.lastname: Reijnders
authors.forename: Michiel C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: van Baasbank
authors.forename: Gerrit
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: van der Wal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002983:Clinical Competence; D008192:Deception; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D017579:Domestic Violence; D005260:Female; D005554:Forensic Medicine; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D010821:Physicians, Family; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires