General practitioners and clinical practice guidelines: a reexamination

Abstract

General practitioners' (GPs') use of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) may be influenced by various contextual and attitudinal factors. This study examines general attitudes toward CPGs to establish profiles according to these attitudes and to determine if these profiles are associated with awareness and with use of CPGs in daily practice. The authors conducted a cross-sectional telephone survey of 1,759 French GPs and measured (a) their general attitudes toward CPGs and (b) their awareness and use in daily practice of CPGs for six specific health problems. A bivariate probit model was used with sample selection to analyze the links between GPs' general attitudes and CPG awareness/use. The authors found three GP profiles according to their opinions toward CPGs and a positive association between these profiles and CPG awareness but not use. It is important to build awareness of CPGs before GPs develop negative attitudes toward them.