MORENO GARCIA, Fernando et al. Do we also vary when faced with evidence based treatment?. []. , 3, 1, pp.18-22. ISSN 2386-8201.

Objective: To determine treatment variability among Primary Care (PC) doctors using clinical cases with evidence based treatment. Design: Descriptive, cross-sectional study. Setting: Toledo Health Area Participants: General practitioners with a stable contract. Main measurements: Self-complete, anonymous questionnaire on six common clinical cases: 1) Community acquired pneumonia, young maln with no complications (evidence based treatment: amoxicillin), 2) Herpes zoster ophthalmicus (antiviral + paracetamol/codeine), 3) Osteoarthritis in post-menopause without osteoporosis (paracetamol), 4) Cystitis, young woman with no complications (amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, norfloxacin and phosphomycin), 5) gastroprotection in patient taking corticoids (no), 6) Prevention of deep vein thrombosis, young man with no risk factors and a sprained ankle (not low molecular weight heparin). The doctors' characteristics were collected (age, sex, medical residency training (MIR), years of experience) work conditions (contract, attendance pressure, quota, distance from hospital). Results: N = 146 (response rate 51%). Case 1: evidence based treatment 6.8% (95%CI: 4.7-8.9); Case 2: 31.5% (95%CI: 27.7-35.3); Case 3: 80.8% (95%CI: 77.5-84.1); Case 4: 90.5% (95%CI: 88.1-92.9); Case 5: 15.9% (95% CI: 12.9-18.9); Case 6: 72.5% (95% CI: 68.7-76.2). The variables of sex, contract, distance from hospital and attendance pressure were not related to response. In case 2 statistically significant differences were found with respect to age, (p<0.0001) and experience (p<0.01) and in cases 1 and 5 only with respect to MIR (p<0.05 and p<0.005 respectively). Conclusions: We found prescription variability even in clinical situations for which there was scientific evidence. Many of the treatment habits did not coincide with most of the recommendations. Better knowledge of clinical practice is essential to improve healthcare quality. Areas for improvement need to be detected in order to prioritize actions.

: Drug Prescriptions; Primary Health Care.

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