Brazilian paediatricians' awareness of national guidelines for community-acquired pneumonia.
BACKGROUND
The Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) strategy uses simple clinical signs for the diagnosis and severity evaluation of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP).


OBJECTIVE
To describe paediatrician awareness of the IMCI strategy for CAP.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study analysing a descriptive case of severe CAP, presented as part of the Brazilian Board of Paediatrician Evaluation (BBPE) tests.


RESULTS
Eighty-six (774/898) per cent of paediatricians followed the IMCI protocol to treat CAP. Although hospitalisation was considered in 90% of the answers, only 35% based this decision on lower chest indrawing.


CONCLUSIONS
The BBPE showed that most physicians are aware of the IMCI recommendations.
Santos
M A R C
MA
Department of Paediatrics, Hospital Central do Instituto de Assistência aos Servidores do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. marilenecs@terra.com.br
Sant'anna
C C
CC
Pinto
L A M
LA
March
M de F P
Mde F
Marques
M
M
Barros
R R
RR
Ferreira
S
S
D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil; D002983:Clinical Competence; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010372:Pediatrics; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'