Perspective of Family Physicians on Chest Diseases

Objective: Our country has experienced changes in the health care system and and family medicine system has an important role in primary health care services. In the delivery of health care family physicians sees the patient first and most frequently.  In this context we aimed to investigate the awareness of family physicians about chest diseases and their practices .  Methods:  Family physicians working in provincial and district centers of Corum attended our study. Subsequent to the approval of the provincial health directorate questionnaires were forwarded to family physicians. Participants were asked to complete a questionnaire with 32 questions about chest diseases. Results: 122 of 128 family physicians working in provincial and district centers of Corum completed our questionnaire, participation rate is 95%. Chronic Obstructive Chest Disease (COPD) and asthma took the first place when they were asked about the chest diseases they know about most, embolism and pleurisy took place in the last row. Diseases they want to learn about were COPD, respectively (39.3%), asthma (35.2%), lung cancer (32.8%), pneumonia (24.6%), tuberculosis (23.8%), pulmonary embolism (20.5%), pleurisy (17.2%) respectively. %59 of the participants stated that they haven’t had a post-graduate training in pulmonology. %96,7 of the physicians answered yes to the question “Do the patients ask questions about chest diseases” while %95.9 and %74,6 answered yes to the question ”Do the patients ask for information about drugs and devices ?” respectively. %17.2 of physicians stated that they have difficulties in responding these questions in general. %27 of the physicians responded yes to the question “Do you have sufficient information about the treatment steps of Asthma and COPD”. %14,8 of the participants stated that they prescribe the reported drugs for three months interval without any evaluation. % 52,5 of the participants stated that they don't have sufficient information about terminal stage cancer patient care. And %62,7 of all family physicians stated that the duration of treatment for new tuberculosis cases is 6 months.  Conclusion: Training of family physicians in chest diseases is needed. In this regard Ministry of Health, National Professional Assosiatons and Departments of Family Medicine have an important role for postgraduate education.