Evidence map›Paper›PMID 12014535›Full record

ArticleThe British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners2002

A qualitative comparative investigation of variation in general practitioners' prescribing patterns.

Chrys Jaye, Murray Tilyard

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners, 2002. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
14citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

14 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Visualizing nationwide variation in medicare Part D prescribing patterns.BMC medical informatics and decision making · 2018
    Article
  4. Predicting medical practices using various risk attitude measures.The European journal of health economics : HEPAC : health economics in prevention and care · 2018
    Article
  5. Gender differences in French GPs' activity: the contribution of quantile regressions.The European journal of health economics : HEPAC : health economics in prevention and care · 2015
    Article
  6. 'A coal face option': GPs' perspectives on the rise in antidepressant prescribing.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2009
    Article
  7. Article
  8. Characteristics of children consulting for cough, sore throat, or earache.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2008
    Article
  9. Variations in activity and practice patterns: a French study for GPs.The European journal of health economics : HEPAC : health economics in prevention and care · 2007
    Article
  10. Article
  11. Article
  12. Article
  13. Article
  14. A qualitative study of barriers to the use of statins and the implementation of coronary heart disease prevention in primary care.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2003
    Article
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.

Chrys JayeDepartment of General Practice, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, New Zealand. cjaye@gp.otago.ac.nz
Murray Tilyard

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundIn New Zealand there is increasing interest in the variation in the prescribing behaviours of general practitioners (GPs). Research conducted to date hasfocused primarily on the quantifiable aspects of prescribing variation.

aimTo investigate the qualitative aspects that may help explain variations in prescribing behaviour between GPs. DESIGN OF STUDY: Qualitative and comparative interviews.

settingThirty New Zealand GPs.

methodA sample of 60 GPs (comprising 20 low, 20 medium, and 20 high-cost prescribers) was selected. Half of this sample (10 GPs in each prescribing category) was recruited to the study. Responders participated in a 60-minute interview.

resultsLow-cost prescribers reported more experience in practice and appeared to have a more 'relaxed' attitude towards medicine. They were more comfortable with refusing patients and they responded to patient expectations with education and explanation. In addition, they viewed the prescription as a pragmatic means of delivering health care to patients. Low and medium-cost prescribers did moreformal counselling and emphasised the 'listening' aspects of general practice. High-cost prescribers appeared to be more highly motivated and to have a more 'serious' attitude toward medicine. They tended to view their obligations and responsibilities to the patient in terms of medical competence. They described their roles with patients in terms of service provision and suggested that patients viewed the prescription as a signifier of the GP's service to the patient.

conclusionThis study suggests that there are discernible, non-quantifiable differences between low, medium, and high-cost prescribers in the Otago and Southland areas of New Zealand.

Indexed as

Attitude of Health PersonnelDrug CostsDrug PrescriptionsDrug UtilizationFamily PracticeFemaleHumansMaleNew ZealandPractice Patterns, Physicians'

Identifiers

PMID12014535
PMCPMC1314293

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.