| dc.description.abstract | Background. In Norway, all citizens are registered with a general practitioner (GP), and the GPs have the major responsibility for issuing all prescription drugs to their patients. Physicians values and attitudes regarding drug therapy are probably of importance for their prescribing practice. The aim of this study is to map Norwegian GPs general attitudes when it comes to prescribing, following-up, and withdrawal of medications. We also wanted to explore to which extent they consider own patients comply with treatment as prescribed.
Material and methods. Part of an observational, multipractice study where 1500 GPs were invited to participate. 439 returned a questionnaire which addressed their opinion about different general statements regarding drug therapy, and own patients' compliance.
Results. 59, 6 % of the physicians found it very difficult to review drug therapy initiated by some other physicians e.g. in hospital. Almost one third (31, 7 %) of the physicians could not confirm that they usually tried to discontinue drug treatment if in doubt about the diagnostic indication. This general pattern also relates to specialists in general practice. Almost every fourth physician estimated own patients compliance to be better than 75 %.
Interpretation. Many GPs seem to lack the confidence needed to take full medical responsibility for own patients' drug treatment. Prescribing skills and rational pharmacotherapy should probably be addressed more explicitly in GPs' vocational training and continuing medical education. | nor |