Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29933709›Full record

ArticleScandinavian journal of primary health care2018

Factors correlating to the propensity of general practitioners to substitute borderline vitamin B12 deficiency.

Grace Cham, Nichola Davis, Edward Strivens, Aileen Traves, Grant Manypeney, Ronny Gunnarsson

Open access · goldAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Scandinavian journal of primary health care, 2018. 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
0.8field-weighted citation impact, top 27% 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, 7 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

6 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.

Grace Chama Cairns Clinical School, College of Medicine and Dentistry , James Cook University , Australia.
Nichola Davisa Cairns Clinical School, College of Medicine and Dentistry , James Cook University , Australia.
Edward Strivensa Cairns Clinical School, College of Medicine and Dentistry , James Cook University , Australia.
Aileen Travesa Cairns Clinical School, College of Medicine and Dentistry , James Cook University , Australia.
Grant Manypeneyc Mareeba Medical Clinic , Queensland , Australia.
Ronny Gunnarssona Cairns Clinical School, College of Medicine and Dentistry , James Cook University , Australia.
James Cook University · AUCairns Hospital · AUNorra Älvsborgs Länssjukhus · SE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveThis study aims to identify factors which correlate to the propensity of general practitioners (GPs) to prescribe supplementation for borderline vitamin B12 deficiency.

designCross-sectional surveys were distributed in person.

settingConferences held in Cairns, Palm Cove Beach, Mt Isa; educational meetings in Atherton; and meetings with individual general practices within the Cairns and Hinterland region. All located in Queensland, Australia. SUBJECTS: 128 practicing GP specialists and registrars (practitioners in training).

main outcome measuresResponses to the Likert scale statements with its five options scaling from 'strongly disagree' to 'strongly agree' were recoded to have binary outcomes for analysis.

resultsA survey response rate of 89% was achieved. Participants who felt patient demands influence the management of borderline vitamin B12 deficiency were more likely to prescribe supplementation (OR 2.4, p = 0.037). Participants who perceived an overuse of vitamin B12 were less likely to prescribe B12 (OR 0.39, p = 0.019). Participants who often saw patients with vitamin B12 deficiency were less likely to request for the complementary biomarkers plasma methylmalonic acid or total homocysteine (OR 0.41, p = 0.045).

conclusionsThe identified disparity to prescribe vitamin B12 for borderline deficiency may be described as an attempt in the GP collective to seek a balance between being the patient's or the society's doctor. We propose that relevant authorities try to reduce this disparity by describing a management strategy for borderline vitamin B12 deficiency. Key points General practitioners hold different thresholds for commencing supplementation in cases of borderline vitamin B12 deficiency. Participants from Australia were asked to fill out a cross-sectional survey to explore factors which correlate with the propensity to prescribe in clinical practice. Our study identified that patient demands and a practitioner's perception of whether there is an overuse of vitamin B12 in the community influenced the propensity to treat for deficiency. The results give insight into reasons for initiating supplementation, and will help inform general practitioners on their current management.

Indexed as

Attitude of Health PersonnelDrug PrescriptionsGeneral PractitionersPhysician-Patient RelationsPractice Patterns, Physicians'AdultAgedCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleGeneral PracticeHumansMaleMiddle AgedSeverity of Illness IndexSurveys and QuestionnairesVitamin B 12Vitamin B 12dietary supplementsgeneral practiceprimary health careVitamin B12 deficiency

Identifiers

PMID29933709
PMCPMC6381524
OpenAlexW2810929784

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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.