Survey of knowledge,Attitude and practice among general practitioners and internists on helicobacter pylori in peptic ulcer disease in Kerman

physicians awareness about Helicobacter pylori association with peptic ulcer disease (PUD)has changed the natural course of this prolonged disease.Eradication of this organism has declined the incidence of complications and recurrence of PUD significantly in recent years.the aim of this cross sectional study was to evaluate the level of knowledge,attitude and practice (KAP) of general practitioners(GPs) and internal medicine specialists (IMS) about H.pylori,its relationship to peptic ulcer and the management.the study was contucted on ۲۰۶ practicing clinicians (۱۷۹ GP,۲۷ IMS) by using a self administered questionaire.the data were analyzed with following results.the mean age for GPs was ۳۵.۷+_۱۰.۳ years and that of IMSs was ۴۲.۷+_۸.۵. correct rate in KAP domains for GPs was ۴۵.۸% ,۲۵.۴%,۳۴.۶% respectively as it was ۸۱.۵%,۷۰% and ۷۴% for IMS.regarding the causes of PUD,۴۹.۲% of GPs and ۸۱.۵% of IMS believed in more than ۵۰% role for H.pylori.۴۰.۲% of GPs and ۸۱.۵% of IMS pointed at the nesessity for treatment of H.pylori infection,however ۷۷.۸% of IMS and ۸.۹% of GPs treated the cases by a standard eradication therapy.۵۳.۷% of GPs reffered the paients to specialists.from a maximum of ۴۰ scores,the average sore for GPs was ۱۶.۴+_۲ whereeas for IMS it was ۳۳.۸+_۱.۹. by using pearson correlation there was a direct but weak correlation between knowledge-attitud (r=۰.۲۰) and knowledge-practice(r=۰.۱۲) for GPs.these figures for IMS were r=۰.۳۵ and r=۰.۴۶ respectively.the results of this study indicate that appropriate management of H.pylori in PUD by physician is inadequate and it needs educational attention especially for GPs.

Keywords:

peptic ulcer disease , Helicobacter pylori , general practitioner , internist , knowledge , Attitude , Practice