Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28363922›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2017

Awareness and attitudes of the Lebanese population with regard to physician-pharmaceutical company interaction: a survey study.

Ahmad Ammous, Savo Bou Zein Eddine, Alia Dani, Jana Dbaibou, Jose M El-Asmar, Liane Sadder, Elie A Akl

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
0.5field-weighted citation impact, top 31% 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

4 citing papers in PubMed, 13 citations in OpenAlex.

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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

7 authors at 1 institution in 2 countries.

Ahmad AmmousFaculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Lebanon.
Savo Bou Zein EddineFaculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Lebanon.
Alia DaniFaculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Lebanon.
Jana DbaibouFaculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Lebanon.
Jose M El-AsmarFaculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Lebanon.
Liane SadderFaculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Lebanon.
Elie A AklDepartment of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut, Lebanon.
American University of Beirut · LB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo assess the awareness and attitudes of the general public in Lebanon regarding the interactions between physicians and pharmaceutical companies.

settingPrimary healthcare clinics and shopping malls in the Greater Beirut Area.

participants263 participants completed the questionnaire, of whom 62% were female and 38% were male. Eligible participants were Arabic-speaking or English-speaking adults (age≥18 years) residing in Lebanon for at least 5 years. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Awareness, attitudes and beliefs of the general public.

results263 out of 295 invited individuals (89% completion rate) completed the questionnaire. While the majority of participants were aware of pharmaceutical company presence (or absence) in physicians' offices (range of 71-76% across questions), smaller percentages were aware of gift-related practices of physicians (range of 26-69% across questions). 40% thought that the acceptance of small gifts or meals by physicians is wrong/unethical. The percentage of participants reporting lower trust in physicians due to their participation in various pharmaceutical company-related activities ranged from 12% to 45% (the highest percentage being for large gifts). Participants who reported receiving free medication samples were significantly more likely to consider physicians' acceptance of small gifts as 'not a problem' than 'unethical' (OR=1.53; p=0.044).

conclusionsParticipants in our survey were generally more aware of pharmaceutical company presence (or absence) in physicians' offices than of gift-related practices of physicians. While the level of trust was not affected for the majority of participants for various types of interactions, it was affected the most for accepting large gifts.

Indexed as

Conflict of InterestDrug IndustryHealth Knowledge, Attitudes, PracticePhysiciansAdolescentAdultAgedAged, 80 and overFemaleGift GivingHumansLebanonMaleMiddle AgedPublic OpinionSurveys and QuestionnairesattitudesETHICS (see Medical Ethics)HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION & MANAGEMENTMEDICAL ETHICSPUBLIC HEALTH

Identifiers

PMID28363922
PMCPMC5387964
OpenAlexW2598221592

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
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.