"What lies beneath it all?" – an interview study of GPs' attitudes to the use of guidelines
2008

GPs' Attitudes Towards Clinical Practice Guidelines

Sample size: 27 publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Benedicte Carlsen, Ole F. Norheim

Primary Institution: The University of Bergen

Hypothesis

How do GPs' attitudes influence their use of clinical practice guidelines?

Conclusion

GPs need to be involved in the development of guidelines to enhance their use and ensure transparency regarding the evidence base and economic considerations.

Supporting Evidence

  • GPs expressed distrust in guidelines influenced by economic motives.
  • Participants preferred guidelines developed by their peers over those from government or pharmaceutical companies.
  • Changing recommendations were sometimes viewed positively as they allowed for professional debate.

Takeaway

Doctors sometimes don't follow guidelines because they worry about money being more important than patient care, and they want to make sure the guidelines fit their patients' needs.

Methodology

Six semi-structured group interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 27 Norwegian GPs.

Potential Biases

Participants may have been influenced by social desirability in their responses.

Limitations

The study's findings may not be generalizable beyond the Norwegian context.

Participant Demographics

The sample included 67% male GPs, with a mean age of 45 years.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1472-6963-8-218

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