A critical issue for primary care practice: knowledge and attitudes of family physicians regarding levothyroxine use

Year 2023, Volume: 15 Issue: 3, 340 - 346, 20.10.2023

Şenay Koçakoğlu , Dursun Çadırcı , Mehmet Şevki Çadırcı , Mehmet Ali Eren

https://doi.org/10.18521/ktd.1328697

Abstract

Objective: Accurate management of hypothyroidism, which is one of the common reasons for referral to primary care, is critically important issue. This study aims to measure the knowledge and attitudes of family physicians (FPs) regarding the use of levothyroxine, which is the main pharmacological agent in the treatment of hypothyroidism.
Methods: This prospective and descriptive study was performed on 102 physicians from family health centers in Şanlıurfa province central districts. The researchers created a questionnaire consisting of eight questions; seven of which were multiple choices and one was open-ended, by scanning the guidelines and literature. Data were obtained by face-to-face interview technique.
Results: Of the participants, 21 (20.6%) were female and 81 (79.4%) male physicians, and the mean age of the participants was 36.9±8.0 (28-66) years. The work duration as a FP was 6.1±3.3 years. Sixteen (15.7%) of the participants reported that they had never prescribed levothyroxine. Two-thirds of them correctly answered the relationship between levothyroxine absorption and food intake, and 36.3% correctly answered that there would be a difference in absorption between different levothyroxine formulations. However, the rate of correct answers to the question of how to start hypothyroidism treatment in patients over 60 years of age or with coronary artery disease was quite low.
Conclusions: The results of this study revealed that FPs in Sanliurfa central districts do not have adequate knowledge about the use of levothyroxine for treatment of hypothyroidism, and they need effective training on this vital issue.
duyduklarını ortaya koymuştur.

Keywords

Attitude, hypothyroidism, knowledge, levothyroxine

Birinci Basamak Uygulamaları İçin Kritik Bir Konu: Aile Hekimlerinin Levotiroksin Kullanımına İlişkin Bilgi ve Tutumları

Abstract

Amaç: Amaç: Birinci basamağa sık başvuru nedenlerinden biri olan hipotiroidinin doğru yönetimi kritik öneme sahip bir konudur. Bu çalışma, aile hekimlerinin hipotiroidi tedavisinde temel farmakolojik ajan olan levotiroksin kullanımına ilişkin bilgi ve tutumlarını ölçmeyi amaçlamaktadır.
Gereç ve Yöntem: Prospektif ve tanımlayıcı tipte olan bu çalışma, Şanlıurfa ili merkez ilçelerdeki aile sağlığı merkezlerinde görev yapan 102 aile hekimi üzerinde yapılmıştır. Araştırmacılar tarafından kılavuzlar ve literatür taranarak yedisi çoktan seçmeli ve biri açık uçlu sekiz sorudan oluşan bir anket oluşturuldu. Veriler yüz yüze görüşme tekniği ile elde edildi.
Bulgular:Katılımcıların 21'i (%20,6) kadın, 81'i (%79,4) erkek hekimdi ve yaş ortalaması 36,9±8,0 (28-66) idi. Aile hekimi olarak çalışma süresi 6,1±3,3 yıldı. Katılımcıların 16'sı (%15,7) hiç levotiroksin reçete etmediğini bildirdi. Üçte ikisi levotiroksin emilimi ile gıda alımı arasındaki ilişkiyi, %36,3'ü ise farklı levotiroksin formülasyonları arasında emilimde bir fark olup olmadığı sorusunu doğru yanıtladı. Ancak 60 yaş üstü veya koroner arter hastalığı olan hastalarda hipotiroidi tedavisine nasıl başlanacağını bilme oranı oldukça düşüktü.
Sonuç: Bu çalışmanın sonuçları, Şanlıurfa merkez ilçelerinde çalışan aile hekimlerinin hipotiroidi tedavisinde levotiroksin kullanımı konusunu yeterince bilmediklerini ve bu hayati konuda eğitime ihtiyaç duyduklarını ortaya koymuştur.

Keywords

Levotiroksin, Bilgi, Tutum, Hipotiroidi

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