Noncardiac chest pain--an Asia-Pacific survey on the views of primary care physicians.
Noncardiac chest pain (NCCP) is common and has a significant impact on health care. Primary care physicians (PCPs)' attitudes, clinical approach, preference of diagnostic tests, referral patterns, and comfort in managing patients with NCCP in the Asia-Pacific region are not known. Consequently, we performed this survey in the Asia-Pacific region. The self-completed questionnaire was sent to PCPs in the Asia-Pacific region. A 28-item questionnaire contained questions on demographic information, characteristics of practice, preferences of diagnostic tests, referral patterns, treatment plans, and opinion on Helicobacter pylori and NCCP. A total of 108 (74%) PCPs returned the questionnaire. A mean of 18% of the patients were diagnosed with NCCP by PCPs in the past 6 months. Ninety-four percent of PCPs had treated NCCP patients in the last 6 months. Only 38% of the PCPs were comfortable in diagnosing NCCP but 85.2% believed that they should manage NCCP patients. PCPs in Malaysia and Philippines were more likely to refer patients to subspecialists. Fifty-seven and four-tenths percent of PCPs believed that H. pylori infection plays a role in the development of NCCP. The study demonstrates clearly that the understanding, diagnostic strategies, and treatment strategies of NCCP in the Asia-Pacific region are suboptimal and thus highlights the importance of educational and training programs tailored for PCPs in NCCP.
Cheung
Ting Kin
TK
Department of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong.
Lim
Paul Wah Yonn
PW
Wong
Benjamin C Y
BC
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001210:Asia, Southeastern / Q000453:epidemiology; D002637:Chest Pain / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010819:Physician's Role; D010821:Physicians, Family; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011379:Prognosis; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000592:standards; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors