Identification of sources from which doctors in the private sector obtain information on HIV and AIDS

Background: Doctors need to constantly update their knowledge and obtain information in order to practise high-quality medicine. Antiretroviral drugs have been available only since around 1996, therefore many of the doctors who were trained prior to 1996 would not have received any formal training i...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Panjasaram Naidoo, Champaklal C. Jinabhai, Myra Taylor
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: AOSIS 2010-04-01
Series:South African Family Practice
Subjects:
Online Access:https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/1398
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849736797393780736
author Panjasaram Naidoo
Champaklal C. Jinabhai
Myra Taylor
author_facet Panjasaram Naidoo
Champaklal C. Jinabhai
Myra Taylor
author_sort Panjasaram Naidoo
collection DOAJ
description Background: Doctors need to constantly update their knowledge and obtain information in order to practise high-quality medicine. Antiretroviral drugs have been available only since around 1996, therefore many of the doctors who were trained prior to 1996 would not have received any formal training in the management of HIV and AIDS patients. Where doctors source their general medical knowledge has been established, but little is known about where doctors source information on HIV/AIDS. This study investigated where private sector doctors from the eThekwini Metro obtain information on HIV and AIDS for patient management. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study among 133 private general practitioners (GPs) and 33 specialist doctors in the eThekwini Metro of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, was conducted with the use of questionnaires. The questionnaires were analysed using SPSS version 15. A p value of 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The majority of the doctors (92.4%) obtained information on HIV and AIDS from journals. Continuing Medical Education (CME), textbooks, pharmaceutical representatives, workshops, colleagues and conferences were identified as other sources of information, while only 35.7% of doctors were found to use the internet for information. GPs and specialists differed significantly with regard to their reliance on colleagues (52.9% versus 72.7%; p 0.05) and conferences (48.6% versus 78.8%; p 0.05) as sources of HIV information. More than 90% of doctors reported that CME courses contributed to better management of HIV and AIDS patients. Conclusion: Private sector doctors in the eThekwini Metro obtain information on HIV from reliable sources in order to have up-to-date knowledge on the management of HIV-infected patients.
format Article
id doaj-art-0118e2b968564b7a89bedee7de3b03f8
institution DOAJ
issn 2078-6190
2078-6204
language English
publishDate 2010-04-01
publisher AOSIS
record_format Article
series South African Family Practice
spelling doaj-art-0118e2b968564b7a89bedee7de3b03f82025-08-20T03:07:10ZengAOSISSouth African Family Practice2078-61902078-62042010-04-0152210.1080/20786204.2010.108739561158Identification of sources from which doctors in the private sector obtain information on HIV and AIDSPanjasaram Naidoo0Champaklal C. Jinabhai1Myra Taylor2University of KwaZulu-NatalUniversity of KwaZulu-NatalUniversity of KwaZulu-NatalBackground: Doctors need to constantly update their knowledge and obtain information in order to practise high-quality medicine. Antiretroviral drugs have been available only since around 1996, therefore many of the doctors who were trained prior to 1996 would not have received any formal training in the management of HIV and AIDS patients. Where doctors source their general medical knowledge has been established, but little is known about where doctors source information on HIV/AIDS. This study investigated where private sector doctors from the eThekwini Metro obtain information on HIV and AIDS for patient management. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study among 133 private general practitioners (GPs) and 33 specialist doctors in the eThekwini Metro of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, was conducted with the use of questionnaires. The questionnaires were analysed using SPSS version 15. A p value of 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The majority of the doctors (92.4%) obtained information on HIV and AIDS from journals. Continuing Medical Education (CME), textbooks, pharmaceutical representatives, workshops, colleagues and conferences were identified as other sources of information, while only 35.7% of doctors were found to use the internet for information. GPs and specialists differed significantly with regard to their reliance on colleagues (52.9% versus 72.7%; p 0.05) and conferences (48.6% versus 78.8%; p 0.05) as sources of HIV information. More than 90% of doctors reported that CME courses contributed to better management of HIV and AIDS patients. Conclusion: Private sector doctors in the eThekwini Metro obtain information on HIV from reliable sources in order to have up-to-date knowledge on the management of HIV-infected patients.https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/1398hiv/aids' source of informationprivate sector doctorsjournals
spellingShingle Panjasaram Naidoo
Champaklal C. Jinabhai
Myra Taylor
Identification of sources from which doctors in the private sector obtain information on HIV and AIDS
South African Family Practice
hiv/aids' source of information
private sector doctors
journals
title Identification of sources from which doctors in the private sector obtain information on HIV and AIDS
title_full Identification of sources from which doctors in the private sector obtain information on HIV and AIDS
title_fullStr Identification of sources from which doctors in the private sector obtain information on HIV and AIDS
title_full_unstemmed Identification of sources from which doctors in the private sector obtain information on HIV and AIDS
title_short Identification of sources from which doctors in the private sector obtain information on HIV and AIDS
title_sort identification of sources from which doctors in the private sector obtain information on hiv and aids
topic hiv/aids' source of information
private sector doctors
journals
url https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/1398
work_keys_str_mv AT panjasaramnaidoo identificationofsourcesfromwhichdoctorsintheprivatesectorobtaininformationonhivandaids
AT champaklalcjinabhai identificationofsourcesfromwhichdoctorsintheprivatesectorobtaininformationonhivandaids
AT myrataylor identificationofsourcesfromwhichdoctorsintheprivatesectorobtaininformationonhivandaids