Zeina Najjar1, Leena Gupta2, Janice Pritchard-Jones3, Simone I Strasser3, Miriam T Levy4, Siaw-Teng Liaw5, Benjamin C Cowie6. 1. Public Health Unit, Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, NSW zeina.najjar@sswahs.nsw.gov.au. 2. Public Health Unit, Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, NSW. 3. AW Morrow Gastroenterology and Liver Centre, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, NSW. 4. Liverpool Hospital, Sydney, NSW. 5. General Practice Unit, South West Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, NSW. 6. WHO Collaborating Centre for Viral Hepatitis, VIDRL, Doherty Institute, Melbourne, VIC.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To examine the chronic hepatitis B (CHB) assessment and management practices of general practitioners in the Sydney and South Western Sydney Local Health Districts, areas with a high prevalence of CHB, and to obtain their views on alternative models of care. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: We used a descriptive, cross-sectional study design to survey GPs who had seen at least one patient aged 18 years or over who had been notified as having CHB to the Public Health Unit between 1 June 2012 and 31 May 2013. There were 213 eligible GPs; the response rate was 57.7%. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The CHB assessment, management and referral practices of the GPs, and their opinions about different models of care. RESULTS: Most GPs (78.9%) were at least reasonably confident about managing CHB. GPs were generally most comfortable with a model of care that involved initial referral to a specialist; managing CHB without specialist input or with only review by a specialised nurse practitioner were less popular. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that barriers, including dependence on specialist input, still hinder the appropriate assessment and management of CHB patients by GPs. Well designed and targeted support programs that include specialist support are needed if there is to be a successful shift to an increased role for GPs in the model of care for managing CHB.
OBJECTIVE: To examine the chronic hepatitis B (CHB) assessment and management practices of general practitioners in the Sydney and South Western Sydney Local Health Districts, areas with a high prevalence of CHB, and to obtain their views on alternative models of care. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: We used a descriptive, cross-sectional study design to survey GPs who had seen at least one patient aged 18 years or over who had been notified as having CHB to the Public Health Unit between 1 June 2012 and 31 May 2013. There were 213 eligible GPs; the response rate was 57.7%. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The CHB assessment, management and referral practices of the GPs, and their opinions about different models of care. RESULTS: Most GPs (78.9%) were at least reasonably confident about managing CHB. GPs were generally most comfortable with a model of care that involved initial referral to a specialist; managing CHB without specialist input or with only review by a specialised nurse practitioner were less popular. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that barriers, including dependence on specialist input, still hinder the appropriate assessment and management of CHB patients by GPs. Well designed and targeted support programs that include specialist support are needed if there is to be a successful shift to an increased role for GPs in the model of care for managing CHB.
Authors: Yinzong Xiao; Caroline van Gemert; Jess Howell; Jack Wallace; Jacqueline Richmond; Emily Adamson; Alexander Thompson; Margaret Hellard Journal: BMC Prim Care Date: 2022-06-02
Authors: Jihye Park; Kyu Sik Jung; Hye Won Lee; Beom Kyung Kim; Seung Up Kim; Do Young Kim; Sang Hoon Ahn; Kwang-Hyub Han; Jun Yong Park Journal: Gut Liver Date: 2017-11-15 Impact factor: 4.519