AIM: To describe current diabetic retinopathy (DR) screening and management practices among Australian general practitioners. METHODS: A self administered questionnaire on DR management was mailed to 2000 rural and urban GPs across Australia in 2007-2008. RESULTS: Only 29% of the GP respondents had read the National Health and Research Council guidelines at least once and 41% had a 'moderate' to 'strong' desire to screen for DR. A majority of GPs (74%) reported not routinely examining their diabetic patients for DR. Lack of confidence in detecting DR changes (86.4%) and time constraints (73.4%) were the two major barriers to GPs performing dilated fundoscopy on diabetic patients. DISCUSSION: Given that access to optometry is not evenly distributed across the country, and that ophthalmology is underresourced, GPs are the healthcare providers most able to manage and screen for DR in the community.
AIM: To describe current diabetic retinopathy (DR) screening and management practices among Australian general practitioners. METHODS: A self administered questionnaire on DR management was mailed to 2000 rural and urban GPs across Australia in 2007-2008. RESULTS: Only 29% of the GP respondents had read the National Health and Research Council guidelines at least once and 41% had a 'moderate' to 'strong' desire to screen for DR. A majority of GPs (74%) reported not routinely examining their diabeticpatients for DR. Lack of confidence in detecting DR changes (86.4%) and time constraints (73.4%) were the two major barriers to GPs performing dilated fundoscopy on diabeticpatients. DISCUSSION: Given that access to optometry is not evenly distributed across the country, and that ophthalmology is underresourced, GPs are the healthcare providers most able to manage and screen for DR in the community.
Authors: Letitia H Burridge; Michele M Foster; Maria Donald; Jianzhen Zhang; Anthony W Russell; Claire L Jackson Journal: Health Expect Date: 2015-01-07 Impact factor: 3.377
Authors: Sian Taylor-Phillips; Hema Mistry; Rachael Leslie; Dan Todkill; Alexander Tsertsvadze; Martin Connock; Aileen Clarke Journal: Br J Ophthalmol Date: 2015-01-13 Impact factor: 4.638
Authors: William Jeon; Graham E Trope; Yvonne M Buys; Richard Wedge; Sherif El-Defrawy; Qi-Sheng Chen; Ya-Ping Jin Journal: Clin Optom (Auckl) Date: 2021-04-21
Authors: Lisa Crossland; Deborah Askew; Robert Ware; Peter Cranstoun; Paul Mitchell; Andrew Bryett; Claire Jackson Journal: J Diabetes Res Date: 2015-12-20 Impact factor: 4.011