title: Swiss family physicians' perceptions and attitudes towards knowledge translation practices.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Several studies have been performed to understand the way family physicians apply knowledge from medical research in practice. However, very little is known concerning family physicians in Switzerland. In an environment in which information constantly accumulates, it is crucial to identify the major sources of scientific information that are used by family physicians to keep their medical knowledge up to date and barriers to use these sources. Our main objective was to examine medical knowledge translation (KT) practices of Swiss family physicians.
  
  
  METHODS
  The population consisted of French- and German-speaking private practice physicians specialised in family medicine. We conducted four interviews and three focus groups (n = 25). The interview guides of the semi-structured interviews and focus groups focused on (a) ways and means used by physicians to keep updated with information relevant to clinical practice; (b) how they consider their role in translating knowledge into practice; (c) potential barriers to KT; (d) solutions proposed by physicians for effective KT.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Family physicians find themselves rather ambivalent about the translation of knowledge based on scientific literature, but generally express much interest in KT. They often feel overwhelmed by "information floods" and perceive clinical practice guidelines and other supports to be of limited usefulness for their practice. They often combine various formal and informal information sources to keep their knowledge up to date. Swiss family physicians report considering themselves as artisans, caring for patients with complex needs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Improved performance of KT initiatives in family medicine should be tailored to actual needs and based on high quality evidence-based sources.
authors.affiliation: Austrian Federal institute of Health Care (ÖBIG), Stubenring 6, AT-1010, Vienna, Austria. theresa.bengough@gmail.com.|Institute of social and preventive medicine (IUMSP), Lausanne University Hospital, Biopôle 2 / Route de la Corniche 10, CH-1010, Lausanne, Switzerland. theresa.bengough@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Theresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bengough
authors.affiliation: Institute of social and preventive medicine (IUMSP), Lausanne University Hospital, Biopôle 2 / Route de la Corniche 10, CH-1010, Lausanne, Switzerland. emilie.bovet@chuv.ch.|Haute Ecole Vaudoise de la Santé (HESAV), Av. de Beaumont 21, CH-1011, Lausanne, Switzerland. emilie.bovet@chuv.ch.
authors.forename: Emilie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bovet
authors.affiliation: Institute of social and preventive medicine (IUMSP), Lausanne University Hospital, Biopôle 2 / Route de la Corniche 10, CH-1010, Lausanne, Switzerland. camille.becherraz@hesav.ch.|Haute Ecole Vaudoise de la Santé (HESAV), Av. de Beaumont 21, CH-1011, Lausanne, Switzerland. camille.becherraz@hesav.ch.
authors.forename: Camille
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bécherraz
authors.affiliation: Institute of social and preventive medicine (IUMSP), Lausanne University Hospital, Biopôle 2 / Route de la Corniche 10, CH-1010, Lausanne, Switzerland. susanne.schlegel@unil.ch.|Department of Social Psychology, University of Lausanne, Switzerland (UNIL), CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland. susanne.schlegel@unil.ch.
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schlegel
authors.affiliation: Institute of social and preventive medicine (IUMSP), Lausanne University Hospital, Biopôle 2 / Route de la Corniche 10, CH-1010, Lausanne, Switzerland. bernard.burnand@chuv.ch.
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Burnand
authors.affiliation: Institute of social and preventive medicine (IUMSP), Lausanne University Hospital, Biopôle 2 / Route de la Corniche 10, CH-1010, Lausanne, Switzerland. vincent.pidoux@chuv.ch.|Institute of psychology (UNIL), Université de Lausanne, Quartier UNIL-Mouline Batiment Géopolis, CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland. vincent.pidoux@chuv.ch.
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pidoux
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005194:Family Practice / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017144:Focus Groups; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D010465:Perception; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000592:standards*; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013557:Switzerland; D057170:Translational Research, Biomedical / Q000379:methods*