title: Physician cardiovascular disease risk factor management: practices in France vs the United States.
abstract: Cardiovascular risk factor management by French vs US primary care physicians was studied. A survey was conducted that found that French physicians spend >20 minutes while US physicians spend five to 10 minutes (P<.001) addressing cardiovascular risk with patients. Fifty-three percent of French (vs 33% of US) physicians focus more on lifestyle modification and less on medication management (P<.0001). Sixty-nine percent of French physicians spend 0% to 20% of their time on administration while 65% of US physicians spend 10% to 30% (P=.0028). Fifty-one percent of French physicians see patients in one to three months for follow-up, while 51% of US physicians see patients in three to six months (P<.0001). Eighty-seven percent of French (vs 39% of US) physicians have guidelines available in the examination room either frequently or very frequently. US physicians report disparities in care more frequently than do French physicians (P<.0001). Forty-nine percent of French (vs 10% of US) physicians believe that they have relative freedom to practice medicine (P<.001). US physicians report greater administrative efforts, frustration, and disparities in their practice. French physicians focus more of their efforts on lifestyle management and see their patients more frequently and for a longer visit time.
authors.affiliation: University of Georgia, Center for Global Health, College of Public Health, Athens, GA 30602-7394, USA. rschuste@uga.edu
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Schuster
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Steichen
authors.forename: Oluseye
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ogunmoroti
authors.forename: Sylvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ellison
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Terwoord
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Duhot
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beaufils
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy*; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008875:Middle Aged; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D058007:Physicians, Primary Care; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology