Evidence map›Paper›PMID 11701576›Full record

ArticleBMJ (Clinical research ed.)2001

Why general practitioners do not implement evidence: qualitative study.

A C Freeman, K Sweeney

Open access · bronzeAbstract readEvaluation Study
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ (Clinical research ed.), 2001. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 89 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
89citing papers in PubMed, 5 pooled it
67.3field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

89 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 403 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Guideline
  2. Pooled it
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  4. Barriers to GPs' use of evidence-based medicine: a systematic review.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2012
    Pooled it
  5. Thou shalt versus thou shalt not: a meta-synthesis of GPs' attitudes to clinical practice guidelines.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2007
    Pooled it
  6. Trial
  7. Trial
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  9. Trial
  10. Article
  11. Understanding measurement of postural hypotension: a nationwide survey of general practice in England.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2026
    Article
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  19. Real world partnership with patients.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2019
    Article
  20. Article

29 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

A C FreemanSomerset and North and East Devon Primary Care Research Network, Institute of General Practice, School of Postgraduate Medicine and Health Sciences, Exeter EX2 5DW. PCRN@exeter.ac.uk
K Sweeney
Exeter Primary Care · GBResearch Network (United States) · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesTo explore the reasons why general practitioners do not always implement best evidence.

designQualitative study using Balint-style groups.

settingPrimary care.

participants19 general practitioners.

main outcome measuresIdentifiable themes that indicate barriers to implementation.

resultsSix main themes were identified that affected the implementation process: the personal and professional experiences of the general practitioners; the patient-doctor relationship; a perceived tension between primary and secondary care; general practitioners' feelings about their patients and the evidence; and logistical problems. Doctors are aware that their choice of words with patients can affect patients' decisions and whether evidence is implemented.

conclusionsGeneral practitioner participants seem to act as a conduit within the consultation and regard clinical evidence as a square peg to fit in the round hole of the patient's life. The process of implementation is complex, fluid, and adaptive.

Indexed as

Attitude of Health PersonnelEvidence-Based MedicineCommunicationDiffusion of InnovationEnglandFocus GroupsHumansInterprofessional RelationsPhysician-Patient RelationsPhysicians, FamilyPrimary Health Care

Identifiers

PMID11701576
PMCPMC59686
OpenAlexW2109322415

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.