title: GPs' opinions of public and industrial information regarding drugs: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  General Practitioners {GP} in Sweden prescribe more than 50% of all prescriptions. Scientific knowledge on the opinions of GPs regarding drug information has been sparse. Such knowledge could be valuable when designing evidence-based drug information to GPs. GPs' opinions on public- and industry-provided drug information are presented in this article.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study using a questionnaire was answered by 368 GPs at 97 primary-health care centres {PHCC}. The centres were invited to participate by eight out of 29 drug and therapeutic committees {DTCs}. A multilevel model was used to analyse associations between opinions of GPs regarding drug information and whether the GPs worked in public sector or in a private enterprise, their age, sex, and work experience. PHCC and geographical area were included as random effects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  About 85% of the GPs perceived they received too much information from the industry, that the quality of public information was high and useful, and that the main task of public authorities was to increase the GPs' knowledge of drugs. Female GPs valued information from public authorities to a much greater extent than male GPs. Out of the GPs, 93% considered the main task of the industry was to promote sales. Differences between the GPs' opinions between PHCCs were generally more visible than differences between areas.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Some kind of incentives could be considered for PHCCs that actively reduce drug promotion from the industry. That female GPs valued information from public authorities to a much greater extent than male GPs should be taken into consideration when designing evidence-based drug information from public authorities to make implementation easier.
authors.affiliation: Primary Care Unit, Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden. ingmarie.skoglund@vgregion.se
authors.forename: Ingmarie
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Skoglund
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Björkelund
authors.forename: Kirsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mehlig
authors.forename: Ronny
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gunnarsson
authors.forename: Margareta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Möller
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004345:Drug Industry / Q000592:standards* / Q000639:trends; D004346:Drug Information Services / Q000592:standards* / Q000639:trends; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005194:Family Practice / Q000592:standards* / Q000639:trends; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010822:Physicians, Women / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011786:Quality Control; D012307:Risk Factors; D013548:Sweden