Vol 39 # 2 June 2007 - Kma.org.kw

June 2007KUWAIT MEDICAL JOURNAL 135Table 3: Preventive measures in actual practicePrevention measures Actual Practice (%)0-25 26-50 51-75 >75BPmeasurement 13 (6.5) 49 (24.5) 79 (39.5) 59 (29.5)Evaluation of blood. sugar 25 (12.5) 54 (27.0) 68 (34.0) 53 (26.5)Evaluation of cholesterol Level 43 (21.5) 60 (30.0) 66 (33.0) 31 (15.5)Counseling on smoking cessation 95 (47.5) 62 (31.0) 29 (14.5) 14 (7.0)Diet counseling 79 (39.5) 70 (35.0) 33 (16.5) 18 (9.0)Self breast examination 127 (63.5) 48 (24.0) 17 (8.5) 8 (4.0)Actual practice of practitioners about prevention measuresfor evaluation of blood sugar and 44.0% forevaluation of cholesterol level, 81.0% for counselingon smoking cessation, 84% for diet counseling and74.5% for self breast examination.Another obstacle was the absence of clearpractice guidelines. This also was different fromone test to another. For instance, it was 13% for BPm e a s u rements testing, 13.0% for evaluation ofblood sugar, 20.5% for evaluation of cholesterollevel, 63.0% for counseling on smoking cessation,62.0% for diet counseling and 55.5% for self breastexamination.As questionnaires progressed, more obstacleswere found. For example, more than 50% of doctorsagreed that lack of training and lack of patient’sinterest (checked by patient motivation) were yetother important obstacles. Lack of evidence forbenefit was the least obstacle for all the preventivemeasures (range was 6%-32%). Furthermore, morethan two third of practitioners agreed thateducating females about self-breast examinationhad caused embarrassment to doctors and patients(Table 4).There was no significant difference between thepractitioners’ position and their perception forperformance satisfaction level with respect toprevention measures. This was the same betweenpractitioners’ position and the actual practice.Respondents perceived other obstacles thatthey have faced: like lack of public awareness forself-help care (45%), lack of systematic organizationof preventive services (30%), no effective system toremind doctors or patients (20%) and no motivationor interest to screen (5%).The last part of the questionnaires dealt with thedoctors’ opinion. They were asked about ways toi m p rove prevention at the level of primaryhealthcare service. They agreed on a number ofrecommendations. First, appointment system hasto be established. Second, training courses must beprovided for doctors and nurses. Third, massiveeducational media coverage through TV, radio,public lectures, brochures and newspaper must bepresented. Fourth, clear protocols or guidelines forall preventive measures have to be created. Fifth,Table 4: Physicians’ opinion about specific obstacles toeach of the six preventive measuresPercentages of physicians agreed on each obstacleObstacles BP Blood Chol. Smoking Diet Selfcheck sugar Level cessation counseling breastexaminationLack of patient interest 21 (10.5) 30 (15.0) 47 (23.5) 159 (79.5) 128 (64.0) 100 (50.0)Lack of time 97 (48.5) 77 (38.5) 86 (43.0) 162 (81.0) 168 (84.0) 149 (74.5)Lack of evidence for benefit 12 (6.0) 12 (6.0) 15 (7.5) 30 (15.0) 32 (16.0) 31 (15.5)Absence of clear practiceguidelines 26 (13.0) 26 (13.0) 41 (20.5) 126 (63.0) 124 (62.0) 111 (55.5)Maneuver causes doctoror patient embarrassment 9 (4.5) 5 (2.5) 8 (4.0) 39 (19.5) 55 (27.5) 143 (71.5)Lack of training 5 (2.5) 6 (3.0) 10 (5.0) 105 (52.5) 103 (51.5) 73 (36.5)Physicians’ opinion about specific obstacles to each of six pre v e n t i v einterventionsthe number of doctors has to be increased in orderto be more time competent. Sixth, trained dieticiansand smoking cessation counselors must beavailable in clinics. Seventh, educational courses ondieting and on smoking counseling have to beimplemented.DISCUSSIONOur study revealed that there was a substantialdifference between the level of preventive care thatpractitioners wanted to provide and the level thatthey were providing in actual practice (Tables 2 and3) indicating that they know the importance ofpreventive health care, and this could motivatethem to seek change and to create a receptiveclimate for new strategies to enhance preventivecare performanceIn Saudi Arabia, primary health care physicianshad their perceptions on periodic health evaluation.About 90% of them recommended periodic healthevaluations. Furthermore, almost all of them (95%)were aware of the benefit and the costs of periodichealth examinations. Nevertheless, they werewilling to carry it out [15] .Then again, lack of time and lack of patient’si n t e rest were the most important obstaclesidentified by practitioners. This was true especiallyif they were involved with counseling rather thansimple diagnostic tests like blood test for sugar orcholesterol [16-18] .The relative importance of specific obstacles wasnot uniform across the preventive interventions aspresented in Table 4. Therefore, if we target theobstacles that are most important, we are mostlikely to succeed. To explain, Table 4 has pointedout that lack of training on counseling was thehighest in importance as compared to otherobstacles. In particular, counseling on smokingcessation, diet and self-breast examination. On thecontrary, lack of training was not an important