title: Development and validation of an instrument to measure family physicians' clinical aptitude in metabolic syndrome in Mexico.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this work was to measure family physicians' clinical aptitude for the diagnosis and treatment of metabolic syndrome in a representative sample from six Family Medicine Units (UMF) at the Mexican Institute for Social Security (IMSS), in Guadalajara, Jalisco, México.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a cross-sectional study. A validated and structured instrument was used, with a confidence coefficient (Kuder-Richardson) of 0.95, that was applied to a representative sample of 90 family physicians throughout six UMFs in Guadalajara, between 2003 and 2004. Mann-Whitney's U and Kruskal-Wallis' tests were used to compare two or more groups, and the Perez-Viniegra Test was used to define aptitude development levels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No statistically significant differences were found in aptitude development between the six family medicine units groups and other comparative groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The generally low level of clinical aptitude, and its indicators, reflects limitations on the part of family physicians at the IMSS in Jalisco to identify and manage metabolic syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Investigación en Epidemiología Clínica, Hospital de Especialidades, Centro Médico Nacional de Occidente, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Guadalajara, México. carlos.cabrera@imss.gob.mx
authors.forename: Carlos E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Cabrera-Pivaral
authors.forename: Clara Luz
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Gutiérrez-Ruvalcaba
authors.forename: Irma Concepción
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Peralta-Heredia
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Alonso-Reynoso
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019468:Disease Management; D005194:Family Practice / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D015995:Prevalence; D011364:Professional Practice; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012494:Sampling Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires