title: The evaluation of general practitioners' awareness/knowledge and adherence to the GOLD guidelines in a Shanghai suburb.
abstract: The aim of this study was to determine levels of awareness of basic knowledge concerning control and prevention of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) among general practitioners (GPs) in a Shanghai suburb and to evaluate adherence to GOLD (COPD) guidelines in primary care. All 593 practitioners, including rural and urban community GPs at 15 primary care centers in the Songjiang district of Shanghai, were questioned, comprising 331 from urban communities and 262 from rural. Only 115 GPs (19.4%) understood that COPD is categorized into acute exacerbation and stable stages, and 328 GPs (55.3%) recognized that treatment for COPD patients was still required during stable stages. A total of 235 GPs (39.6%) knew that oxygen therapy should be administered for >15 h/d as regular home therapy. In 97 cases of stage III and IV COPD, only 1 patient had accepted long-term home oxygen therapy. Prescriptions that conformed with the GOLD recommendations occurred in approximately 8% of patients according to GOLD COPD severity staging. Basic knowledge of prevention and treatment of COPD was seriously lacking in GPs. Additional training is clearly needed.
authors: Songjiang Branch of Shanghai Municipal First People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China lifanking@yahoo.com.cn.
authors: Fan
authors: F
authors: Li
authors: Zhongshan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors: Yingyun
authors: Y
authors: Cai
authors: Songjiang Branch of Shanghai Municipal First People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China.
authors: Yunxia
authors: Y
authors: Zhu
authors: Songjiang Branch of Shanghai Municipal First People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China.
authors: Xiaoli
authors: X
authors: Chen
authors: Songjiang Branch of Shanghai Municipal First People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China.
authors: Xun
authors: X
authors: Xu
authors: Songjiang Branch of Shanghai Municipal First People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China.
authors: Xuemin
authors: X
authors: Zhang
authors: Songjiang Branch of Shanghai Municipal First People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China.
authors: Weiwen
authors: W
authors: Yin
authors: Songjiang Branch of Shanghai Municipal First People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China.
authors: Wanghui
authors: W
authors: Zhu
authors: Xiaokunshan Primary Care of Songjiang District, Shanghai, China.
authors: Huanjuan
authors: H
authors: Fu
authors: Xiaokunshan Primary Care of Songjiang District, Shanghai, China.
authors: Chaoying
authors: C
authors: Shen
authors: Xiaokunshan Primary Care of Songjiang District, Shanghai, China.
authors: Qijun
authors: Q
authors: Zhuang
authors: Xinbang primary care of Songjiang district, Shanghai, China.
authors: Jianfeng
authors: J
authors: Yin
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002681:China; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D058005:General Practitioners / Q000523:psychology*; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011320:Primary Health Care; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: COPD; bronchodilators; general practitioners; guidelines; inhaled corticosteroids; management; primary care