title: Challenges in the treatment of lactational mastitis for general practitioners.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine how GPs manage breastfeeding women with mastitis and how confident they are in treating women with breast conditions that occur during lactation.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey conducted among all Croatian GPs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-four per cent of the total number of respondents (171/268) had seen a patient with lactational mastitis (LM) in the previous 12 months. Among respondents who recommended medication for the treatment of LM, 93% prescribed an antibiotic (122/131). Fifteen per cent of respondents who gave advice on infant feeding advised alternative feeding methods. Approximately half (47%) felt completely confident when treating LM while more than half (57%) felt partially confident when treating other breast conditions that can occur during lactation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The management of LM among Croatian GPs is not in full compliance with current recommendations. FUTURE IMPLICATIONS: There is a need for further training of Croatian GPs in the management of mastitis.
authors.forename: Zeljka
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Topić
authors.forename: Lisa H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Amir
authors.forename: Irena
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Zakarija-Grković
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001903:Bottle Feeding; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000009:adverse effects*; D061186:Breast Milk Expression; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003080:Cold Temperature; D017523:Croatia; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D058005:General Practitioners / Q000592:standards*; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008405:Massage; D008413:Mastitis / Q000628:therapy*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000592:standards*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents