title: Reporting of research data by GPs: a cautionary tale for primary care researchers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Given the importance of community-based research, there is a need to ensure the quality of data obtained from such studies. However, research has been considered a low priority for most GPs.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the quality of data reported by GPs in a large community-based study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Men were recruited as part of a population-based study on prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing. Those with elevated initial PSA levels in the mid-1990s and no investigation in the intervening period were invited for repeat PSA testing. The GP of each included man was contacted and asked to report basic clinical information. Trained data extractors independently reviewed each man's GP medical notes and recorded data relating to prostate problems. Data provided by GPs were rematched with data extracted from medical notes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 758 men with 379 GPs were included. In all, 366 (96.6%) GPs agreed to participate. Of 698 men suitable for follow-up, GP and note review data were available in 505 (72.3%) cases (287 GPs). Overall, 245 (85.4%) GPs provided completely accurate data. Male GPs, compared to female GPs, were found to have a higher level of inaccurate reporting (P = 0.008).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found that when GPs were asked to record basic clinical information, for the purposes of a primary care-based study, there was a significant level of inaccurate reporting. The results from our study confirm the importance of quality control in primary care research, especially in studies that involve GPs' reporting data.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Practice, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT97HR, Northern Ireland, UK. g.gormley@qub.ac.uk
authors.forename: Gerard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gormley
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Connolly
authors.forename: Denise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Catney
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Freeman
authors.forename: Liam J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gavin
mesh_terms: D030881:Disclosure / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D009660:Northern Ireland; D010821:Physicians, Family; D011320:Primary Health Care; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D012108:Research Personnel
chemical_list: D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen