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- André, Malin, et al.
(författare)
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Asking for ’rules of thumb’ : a way to discover tacit knowledge in general practice
- 2002
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Ingår i: Family Practice. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0263-2136 .- 1460-2229. ; 19:6, s. 617-622
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background. Research in decision-making has identified heuristics (rules of thumb) as shortcuts to simplify search and choice. Objective. To find out if GPs recognize the use of rules of thumb and if they could describe what they looked like. Methods. An explorative and descriptive study was set up using focus group interviews. The interview guide contained the questions: Do you recognize the use of rules of thumb? Are you able to give some examples? What are the benefits and dangers in using rules of thumb? Where do they come from? The interviews were transcribed and analysed using the templates in the interview guide, and the examples of rules were classified by editing analysis. Results. Four groups with 23 GPs were interviewed. GPs recognized using rules of thumb, producing examples covering different aspects of the consultation. The rules for somatic problems were formulated as axiomatic simplified medical knowledge and taken for granted, while rules for psychosocial problems were formulated as expressions of individual experience and were followed by an explanation. The rules seemed unaffected by the sparse objections given. A GP’s clinical experience was judged a prerequisite for applying the rules. The origin of many rules was via word-of-mouth from a colleague. The GPs acknowledged the benefits of using the rules, thereby simplifying work. Conclusion. GPs recognize the use of rules of thumb as an immediate and semiconscious kind of knowledge that could be called tacit knowledge. Using rules of thumb might explain why practice remains unchanged although educational activities result in more elaborate knowledge.
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| 2. |
- André, Malin, et al.
(författare)
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Management of urinary tract infections in primary care: : a repeated 1-week diagnosis-prescribing study in five counties in Sweden in 2000 and 2002.
- 2004
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0036-5548 .- 1651-1980. ; 36:2, s. 134-138
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A diagnosis-antibiotic prescribing study was performed in 5 counties in Sweden during 1 week in November in the y 2000 and 2002, respectively. As part of the study, the characteristics and clinical management of patients who received diagnoses of urinary tract infections (UTIs) (n = 1564) in primary care, were analysed. 85% of the visits were by women, and 74% of all consultations were diagnosed as lower UTIs. One or more diagnostic tests were performed in 98% of the women with suspected lower or recurrent UTIs and 95% were prescribed an antibiotic. The most commonly prescribed antibiotics for lower UTIs were trimethoprim followed by pivmecillinam and a quinolone. The study indicated a change in antibiotic prescribing with improved adherence to the national recommendations. There was an increase of prescribed nitrofurantoin and a decrease of prescribed quinolones to women with lower UTIs between the studied y. Furthermore, 3-d treatment with trimethoprim increased although the prescribed duration was mostly 7 d. In contrast to the guidelines, few urine cultures were performed. The study highlights the necessity of updating the guidelines for the management of lower UTIs in general practice.
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| 3. |
- André, Malin, et al.
(författare)
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The Use of CRP Tests in Patients with Respiratory Tract Infections in Primary Care in Sweden Can Be Questioned
- 2004
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0036-5548 .- 1651-1980. ; 36:3, s. 192-197
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A diagnosis-antibiotic prescribing study was performed in 5 counties in Sweden during 1 week in November in 2000 and 2002 respectively. As a part of the study, the use and results of C-reactive protein (CRP) tests in relation to duration of symptoms and antibiotic prescribing in 6778 patients assigned a diagnosis of respiratory tract infections were analysed. In almost half (42%) of the patients, a CRP test was performed. The majority of CRP tests (69%) were performed in patients assigned diagnosis upper respiratory tract infection, where the test is not recommended. Overall, there was a minor decrease in antibiotic prescribing when CRP was used (41%), in comparison to 44% of the patients where no CRP was performed (p<0.01). Patients assigned diagnoses implying a bacterial aetiology were prescribed antibiotics irrespective of result of CRP or length of symptoms before consultation. For patients assigned viral diagnoses, antibiotic prescribing increased with increasing duration of symptoms and increasing value of CRP. The use of CRP decreased antibiotic prescribing in patients assigned to viral diagnoses and with longstanding symptoms (p<0.001). However, 59% of the patients assigned viral diagnoses with CRP≥25 received antibiotics, which seems to indicate a misinterpretation of CRP and a non-optimal use of antibiotics.
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| 4. |
- André, Malin, et al.
(författare)
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Upper respiratory tract infections in general practice: diagnosis, antibiotic prescribing, duration of symptoms and use of diagnostic tests
- 2002
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases. - : Taylor & Francis. - 2374-4235 .- 0036-5548 .- 1651-1980. ; 34, s. 880-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A diagnosis/antibiotic prescribing study was performed in 5 counties in Sweden for 1 week in November 2000. As part of this study, the characteristics and clinical management of patients with upper respiratory tract infections (n = 2899) in primary care were analyzed. Almost half of the patients were aged < 15 y and one-fifth of the patients consulted out of hours. Of all patients seeking primary care for upper respiratory tract infections, 56.0% were prescribed an antibiotic. Almost all patients who were given the diagnoses streptococcal tonsillitis, acute otitis media or acute sinusitis were prescribed antibiotics, compared to 10% of patients with common cold or acute pharyngitis. The most frequently prescribed antibiotic was penicillin V (79.2%) and this was even more pronounced out of hours, when the diagnoses otitis media and streptococcal tonsillitis were more frequently used. In patients with common cold and acute pharyngitis, the percentage who received antibiotics increased with increasing length of symptoms and increasing CRP levels. In patients with acute pharyngitis or streptococcal tonsillitis, antibiotics were prescribed less frequently provided streptococcal tests were performed. The management of patients with upper respiratory tract infections in general practice seems to be in good agreement with current Swedish guidelines. However, the study indicates some areas for improvement. The diagnosis of acute sinusitis seems to have been overestimated and used only to justify antibiotic treatment.
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| 5. |
- André, Malin, et al.
(författare)
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Use of rules of thumb in the consultation in general practice : an act of balance between the individual and the general perspective
- 2003
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Ingår i: Family Practice. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0263-2136 .- 1460-2229. ; 20:5, s. 514-519
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background. Rules of thumb used by GPs could be considered as empirical evidence of intuition and a link between science and practice in general practice. Objective. The purpose of the present study was to analyse the description of the application of rules of thumb with regard to different situations in general practice. Methods. An explorative and descriptive study was started with focus group interviews. Four groups with 23 GPs were interviewed. The interviews were transcribed and analysed, and the rules and their application were classified by an editing analysis. Results. A specific set of rules of thumb was used for rapid assessment, when emergency and psychosocial problems were identified. When the main focus of the problems was identified as somatic or psychosocial, the GPs did not disregard the other aspects but described the use of rules in a simultaneous individualizing and generalizing process. The rules contained probability reasoning and risk assessment. Conclusion. Rules of thumb seemed to serve as a link between theoretical knowledge and practical experience and were used by the GPs in an act of balance between the individual and the general perspective.
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
- Engström, Sven, et al.
(författare)
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Data from electronic patient records are suitable for surveillance of antibiotic prescriptions for respiratory tract infections in primary health care
- 2004
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0036-5548 .- 1651-1980. ; 36:2, s. 139-143
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Diagnoses and antibiotic treatments were analysed in relation to respiratory tract infections (RTI). A 1-y retrospective study was made of electronic patient records (EPR) for encounters concerning RTIs in primary health care in Sweden. The study covered a registered population of 102,050 individuals at 12 primary health care centres in 3 counties. Data were recorded on number of episodes, encounters, diagnostic codes and antibiotic prescriptions. The yearly number of episodes of RTIs was 16,964 or 166 per 1000 inhabitants per y. The total number of encounters was 19,965. The most frequent diagnoses were common cold (40%), acute tonsillitis (18%), and acute bronchitis (15%). The yearly number of antibiotic prescriptions was 7961, accounting for 47% of the episodes or 78 per 1000 inhabitants per y. The most frequently prescribed antibiotics were phenoxymethylpenicillin (61%), tetracyclines (18%) and macrolides 8%). Standard EPRs provide a feasible source of clinical information which, taking limitations into consideration, could be used for the follow-up of trends in antibiotic prescribing and of adherence to guidelines with regard to RTIs.
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| 9. |
- Engström, Sven, et al.
(författare)
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Excessive use of rapid tests in respiratory tract infections in Swedish primary health care
- 2004
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0036-5548 .- 1651-1980. ; 36:3, s. 213-218
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A 1-y retrospective study of problem oriented electronic patient records, for encounters concerning respiratory tract infection, was performed. The aim was to analyse the management of respiratory tract infections in primary health care in terms of diagnostic coding, tests and antibiotic treatment using data from electronic patient records. 12 primary health care centres with a registered population of 102,050 residents in 3 counties in southeast Sweden participated. Data were retrieved electronically from records of patient encounters concerning respiratory tract infections. The data were: patient age and gender, date of contact, diagnostic code, CRP and GABHS tests and results, as well as antibiotic prescriptions. In a total of 19,965 encounters, the most frequent diagnoses were common cold (40%), acute tonsillitis (18%), and acute bronchitis (15%). A total of 4445 GABHS tests (in 22% of encounters) and 6141 CRP tests (31%) were performed, and both tests were done in 1910 encounters (10%). A total of 7934 antibiotic prescriptions were registered. The proportion of patients tested and prescribed an antibiotic varied greatly between centres. We found an excessive, and much varying, use of rapid tests in encounters for respiratory tract infections. Data retrieval from electronic patient record systems was a feasible method to study the use of laboratory tests in relation to pharmacological treatment.
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