Результативность образовательных программ по раннему выявлению анкилозирующего спондилита для врачей первичного звена в г. Казани

The diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in the real-life practice is delayed for 7–8 years on average. Educational programs for primary care physicians may promote the disease diagnosis. Objective. To analyze the effectiveness of the educational programs for the early diagnosis of AS for primary contact physicians in the real-life clinical practice in Kazan. Material and methods. The development of the educational programs and determination of their effectiveness com- prised three stages: 1) determination of the level of knowledge and problems in the diagnosis and treatment of AS among primary care physicians and neurologists; 2) development of educational programs suitable to be used in the real-life clinical practice; 3) analysis of the effectiveness of implementing the programs according to the reports on work of the City Rheumatology Center in 2009–2011. Results. After running the courses, the number of patients with AS at the Kazan City Rheumatology Center increased almost twofold, from 378 in 2009 to 683 in 2011; the period from the onset of the disease to diagnosis was simultane- ously reduced from 8.4 to 3.5 years. Conclusion. The educational programs for primary care physicians and neurologists in Kazan have promoted shorten- ing of the AS diagnosis time.