An analysis of cognitions to preferred practice pattern from Chinese ophthalmologists by questionnaire

Background

Preferred practice pattern (PPP) is an evidence-based documents which can be used for reference to standardize medical practice by ophthalmologists.So far it has been promoted for more than 10 years in China.However, there is no report about the popularization and application of PPP in China.

Objective

This study was to investigate the cognitions of ophthalmologists to PPP from the view of clinical questions.

Methods

A questionnaire-based study was conducted.Questionnaires were dispensed during September 17 to 21, 2014 to inquiry into the cognitions of ophthalmologists to PPP in the 19th Congress of Chinese Ophthalmological Society.A self-administered questionnaire was designed and discussed according to the article published in the past by our research group.It included personal basic information and cognitions to PPP, and the latter consisted of self-assessment and cognition scoring.The constituent ratios of aware, quite aware, unaware and fully unaware ophthalmologists were counted.The cognitions were divided into low level (0-4 scores), moderate level (5-8 scores) and high level (9-12 scores) based on the effective answer sheets.The questionnaires were filled out anonymously and incomplete questionnaires were excluded.

Results

Among the 300 distributed questionnaires, 282 were retrieved and 209 were valid, with the effective rate 74.1%.The ophthalmologists of awareness to PPP were 46.4% (97/209), and 53.6% (112/209) of respondents did not know PPP very well.A positive correlation was found between the awareness to PPP and the cognition scores to clinical issues (r_s=0.143, P<0.05). The cognition scores to clinical issues were significantly different among different educational backgrounds (F=12.26, P<0.05), and cognition scores were significantly reduced in the ophthalmologists with lower master degree in comparison with the ophthalmologists with doctoral degree (all at P<0.05). The coincide ratio between cognitions of ophthalmologists to different clinical issues and suggestions in PPP were evidently different in the ophthalmologists, with the highest coincide ratio 83% and the lowest coincide ratio 1%.

Conclusions

The awareness to PPP is not adequate in Chinese eye doctors, which reduces the cognition level to clinical issues.There is a poor coincide ratio between cognitions of Chinese ophthalmologists to clinical issues and suggestions in PPP.This study emphasizes the need for effective awareness programs towards clinical issues based on PPP.