Investigating awareness in chronic renal failure among family physicians

Adem ÖZKARA, Kenan TURGUTALP, Ahmet Alper KIYKIM, Nihal ÖZKAYAR, Ebru OĞUZ GÖK, Birgül ATAMAN, Fatih DEDE

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The conditions underlying chronic renal failure have become epidemics in the world. The aim of this study was to reveal the degree of awareness of chronic renal failure among family physicians. MATERIAL and METHODS: Using data collected with a structured questionnaire and considering physicians socio-demographic features and their education on nephrology, we evaluated physiciansawareness of the definition, frequency and clinical features of chronic renal failure. The questionnaire was filled in by volunteering family medicine specialists (FMS), family medicine assistants (FMA) and family physicians (FP) during a family medicine meeting. RESULTS: Out of 310 physicians, 25.2% (n=78) were FMS, 27.7% (n=86) FMA and 47.1% (n=146) FP. %35,2 of physicians (n=109) (FMS: % 62,8 (n=49), FMA: %52.3 (n=45), FP: %10.3 (n=15), p0.05). However, less than 15% of the physicians reported that they felt competent enough to follow patients with chronic renal failure. The rate of the physicians who felt the need to refer these patients to health institutions was high. However, the Fps did not like the patient care style of internal medicine specialists and thought that patients faced financial problems to access the nephrologist. CONCLUSION: Appropriate care and management of referrals are life-saving for patients with chronic renal failure. New strategies should be developed to increase awareness concerning chronic renal failure and the management of this condition.

Özet

AMAÇ: Kronik böbrek hastalığı (KBH)nın altında yatan etiyolojik faktörler dünyada epidemi halini almıştır. Bu çalışmada, aile hekimliği hizmeti veren hekimler (AHDR) arasında KBHnın farkındalık düzeyinin belirlenmesi amaçlanmıştır. GEREÇ ve YÖNTEMLER: Yapılandırılmış olan anketimiz ile hekimlerin; sosyodemografik özellikleri, Nefroloji rotasyon ve eğitim durumları ile KBHnın; tanımı, sıklığı, klinik özellikleri ve sonuçlarına olan farkındalıkları değerlendirildi. Anket, Aile Hekimliği Toplantısı sırasında; gönüllü aile hekimliği uzmanları (AHU), aile hekimliği asistanları (AHAS) ve aile hekimleri (AH)ne uygulandı. BULGULAR: Ankete toplam 310 hekim yanıt verdi. Bunların %25,2si (n=78) AHU, %27,7si (n=86) AHAS, %47,1i (n=146) AH idi. Toplam hekimlerin %35,2si (n=109) (AHU: % 62,8 (n=49), AHAS: %52.3 (n=45), AH: %10.3 (n=15), p0,05). Bununla birlikte bu hastaların izleminde yeterli olduğunu düşünen hekim oranı