title: Perceived barriers to guideline adherence: a survey among general practitioners.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite considerable efforts to promote and support guideline use, adherence is often suboptimal. Barriers to adherence vary not only across guidelines but also across recommendations within guidelines. The aim of this study was to assess the perceived barriers to guideline adherence among GPs by focusing on key recommendations within guidelines.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a cross-sectional electronic survey among 703 GPs in the Netherlands. Sixteen key recommendations were derived from four national guidelines. Six statements were included to address the attitudes towards guidelines in general. In addition, GPs were asked to rate their perceived adherence (one statement) and the perceived barriers (fourteen statements) for each of the key recommendations, based on an existing framework.
  
  
  RESULTS
  264 GPs (38%) completed the questionnaire. Although 35% of the GPs reported difficulties in changing routines and habits to follow guidelines, 89% believed that following guidelines leads to improved patient care. Perceived adherence varied between 52 and 95% across recommendations (mean: 77%). The most perceived barriers were related to external factors, in particular patient ability and behaviour (mean: 30%) and patient preferences (mean: 23%). Lack of applicability of recommendations in general (mean: 22%) and more specifically to individual patients (mean: 25%) were also frequently perceived as barriers. The scores on perceived barriers differed largely between recommendations [minimum range 14%; maximum range 67%].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dutch GPs have a positive attitude towards the NHG guidelines, report high adherence rates and low levels of perceived barriers. However, the perceived adherence and perceived barriers varied largely across recommendations. The most perceived barriers across recommendations are patient related, suggesting that current guidelines do not always adequately incorporate patient preferences, needs and abilities. It may be useful to provide tools such as decision aids, supporting the flexible use of guidelines to individual patients in practice.
authors.affiliation: Scientific Centre for Care and Welfare (Tranzo), Tilburg University, PO Box 90153, 5000 LE Tilburg, the Netherlands. m.lugtenberg@iq.umcn.nl
authors.forename: Marjolein
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lugtenberg
authors.forename: Jako S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Burgers
authors.forename: Casper F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Besters
authors.forename: Dolly
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Gert P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Westert
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003231:Conjunctivitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D034742:Electronic Mail; D005260:Female; D058005:General Practitioners / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy