title: Noncardiac chest pain--an Asia-Pacific survey on the views of primary care physicians.
abstract: 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.
authors: Department of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong.
authors: Ting Kin
authors: TK
authors: Cheung
authors: Paul Wah Yonn
authors: PW
authors: Lim
authors: Benjamin C Y
authors: BC
authors: Wong
mesh_terms: 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