| Lack of knowledge about STDs may hinder diagnosis and treatment |
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| Written by Administrator | |||||||
| Wednesday, 25 January 2006 | |||||||
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According to a study from the United States, "Little is known about sexually transmitted disease (STD) knowledge of primary care providers. The objectives of this study were to determine the knowledge about the management of STDs among primary care physicians and to identify physician characteristics associated with possession of STD knowledge."
According to a study from the United States, "Little is known about sexually transmitted disease (STD) knowledge of primary care providers. The objectives of this study were to determine the knowledge about the management of STDs among primary care physicians and to identify physician characteristics associated with possession of STD knowledge." H.C. Wiesenfeld and colleagues described their study: "A self-administered questionnaire was mailed to a random sample of 1600 obstetrician/gynecologists, pediatricians, family physicians, and internists practicing in Pennsylvania. Information on physician and patient demographics was gathered, and we assessed knowledge and practice patterns concerning the management of STDs in young women." "Physician knowledge regarding the evaluation and management of women with or at risk for STDs was associated with female gender (odds ratio [OR]: 2.1; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.4-3.2), age: less than or equal to40 (OR: 2.3; 95% CI: 1.4-3.6), and metropolitan practice location (OR: 1.7; 95% CI: 1.1-2.6)," the authors recorded. "Familiarity with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) STD treatment guidelines was independently associated with STD knowledge (OR: 2.0; 95% CI: 1.2, 3.3)." They noted, "Physicians with good STD knowledge were more likely to report routinely screening at-risk women for Chlamydia trachomatis (OR: 3.9; 95% CI: 2.3-6.8)." The researchers concluded, "Inadequacies in physician knowledge may serve as a barrier to the appropriate diagnosis and treatment of STDs. Interventions to improve STD management practices should include continuing medical education and distribution of CDC's STD treatment guidelines to primary care providers." Wiesenfeld and colleagues published their study in Sexually Transmitted Diseases (Knowledge about sexually transmitted diseases in women among primary care physicians. Sex Transm Dis, 2005;32(11):649-653). For more information, contact H.C. Wiesenfeld, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 300 Halket St, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; E-mail: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it Publisher contact information for the journal Sexually Transmitted Diseases is: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 530 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106-3261, USA. Keywords: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, Chlamydia, Chlamydia Trachomatis, Infectious Disease, STD, Sexually Transmited Disease, Women's Health. This article was prepared by Biotech Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2006, Biotech Week via NewsRx.com. To see more of the NewsRx.com, or to subscribe, go to http://www.newsrx.com. | |||||||
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