Lifestyle, cardiovascular risk knowledge and patient counselling among selected sub-Saharan African family physicians and trainees. African journal of primary health care & family medicine

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related deaths in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are on the rise, and primary care physicians could facilitate the reversal of this trend through treatment and prevention strategies. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between physician lifestyle practices, CVD prevention knowledge and patient CVD counselling practices among family physicians (FPs) and family medicine (FM) trainees affiliated to FM colleges and organisations in SSA. Setting: FPs and FM trainees affiliated to FM colleges and organisations in Anglophone SSA. Methods: A web-based cross-sectional analytical study was conducted using validated, self-administered questionnaires. Following collation of responses, the relationship between the participants’ CVD prevention knowledge, lifestyle practices and CVD counselling rates was assessed. Results: Of the 174 participants (53% response rate), 83% were married, 51% were females and the mean age was 39.2 (standard deviation [SD] 7.6) years. Most of the participants responded accurately to the CVD prevention knowledge items, but few had accurate responses on prioritising care by 10-year risk. Most participants had less than optimal lifestyle practices except for smoking, vegetable or fruit ingestion and sleep habits. Most participants (65%) usually counselled patients on nutrition, but less frequently on weight management, exercise, smoking and alcohol. The region of practice and physicians with poor lifestyle were predictive of patient counselling rates. Conclusion: Training on patient counselling and self-awareness for CVD prevention may influence patient counselling practice. Promoting quality training on patient counselling among FPs as well as a healthy self-awareness for CVD prevention is thus needed. The complex relationship between physician lifestyle and patient counselling warrants further study

Lifestyle, cardiovascular risk knowledge and patient counselling among selected sub-Saharan African family physicians and trainees

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related deaths in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are on the rise, and primary care physicians could facilitate the reversal of this trend through treatment and prevention strategies. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between physician lifestyle practices, CVD prevention knowledge and patient CVD counselling practices among family physicians (FPs) and family medicine (FM) trainees affiliated to FM colleges and organisations in SSA. Setting: FPs and FM trainees affiliated to FM colleges and organisations in Anglophone SSA. Methods: A web-based cross-sectional analytical study was conducted using validated, self-administered questionnaires. Following collation of responses, the relationship between the participants’ CVD prevention knowledge, lifestyle practices and CVD counselling rates was assessed. Results: Of the 174 participants (53% response rate), 83% were married, 51% were females and the mean age was 39.2 (standard deviation [SD] 7.6) years. Most of the participants responded accurately to the CVD prevention knowledge items, but few had accurate responses on prioritising care by 10-year risk. Most participants had less than optimal lifestyle practices except for smoking, vegetable or fruit ingestion and sleep habits. Most participants (65%) usually counselled patients on nutrition, but less frequently on weight management, exercise, smoking and alcohol. The region of practice and physicians with poor lifestyle were predictive of patient counselling rates. Conclusion: Training on patient counselling and self-awareness for CVD prevention may influence patient counselling practice. Promoting quality training on patient counselling among FPs as well as a healthy self-awareness for CVD prevention is thus needed. The complex relationship between physician lifestyle and patient counselling warrants further study

An assessment of whether medical doctors have the Knowledge that would enable them to competently deliver tobacco cessation services

Background: Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable morbidity and mortality globally. The international community recognizes this epidemic and compelling evidence exists on the significant contribution of the health care provider in propagating the success of tobacco cessation. The World Health Organization highlights minimal implementation of tobacco control policies by Tanzania despite a rise in tobacco use prevalence. Medical doctors’ competence is a reflection on our commitment to tobacco cessation service delivery. Main Objectives: To assess whether medical doctors have the knowledge that would enable them to competently deliver tobacco cessation services. Specific Objectives 1. To assess medical doctors’ core knowledge on tobacco use and it`s harmful effects. 2. To assess medical doctors’ knowledge on tobacco screening. 3. To determine medical doctors’ awareness on brief tobacco cessation advice. Design: Facility based cross-sectional study. Setting: Public and private health facilities in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Participants: Medical doctors in active clinical practice Site: Multicenter study from October 2013 to January 2014. Sample size: 320 medical doctors. Measurement: A 48 item validated questionnaire was used to assess whether medical doctors have the knowledge that would enable them to competently deliver tobacco cessation services; 35 items were scored and each item scored 1 point, two items were nullified because nicotine replacement therapy has not yet been legalized, while 11 items explored participant’s recommendation on tobacco. Competence was defined as an overall score above 25 (71%) of the 35 items. Results: 320 questionnaires were analyzed. Only 21 doctors (7%) attained acceptable level of competence; which was insignificant p=0.4 (significant p\u3c 0.05) and 62 doctors (19%) reflected satisfactorily on tobacco cessation services. Conclusion: The level of acceptable knowledge for competent delivery of tobacco cessation services was low. Doctors affirm that they need further training. Enforcing sustainable ways of integrating comprehensive and evidence based tobacco education and cessation services in our local health care systems are recommended to improve competence in tobacco cessation service delivery