Wong WC, Chan C, Dickinson JA
Primary care of patients with sexually transmitted diseases or genitourinary symptoms in Hong Kong. [Journal Article]
Hong Kong Med J 2005 Aug; 11(4):273-80.
OBJECTIVES: To determine the adequacy of care received from general practitioners by patients with sexually transmitted diseases or genitourinary symptoms.
DESIGN: Prospective study.
SETTING: Hong Kong.
PARTICIPANTS: Diagnoses and drug data obtained from logbooks submitted by doctors studying for the Diploma in Family Medicine and candidates for Fellowship examinations between 1999 and 2002.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Diagnosis or symptom of a sexually transmitted disease and prescribed treatment.
RESULTS: Sexually transmitted diseases and genitourinary symptoms accounted for 1.1% of the workload of these community doctors in Hong Kong. The majority of patients were young adult males. The overall standard of treatment was inadequate: both multi-pharmacy and inappropriate treatment was common; in up to 30% of cases, doctors ignored local or international guidelines.
CONCLUSION: Primary care doctors play an important role in the diagnosis and management of sexually transmitted diseases or genitourinary symptoms in Hong Kong. A high index of suspicion should be maintained and continuing education made available if doctors are to provide an equally high standard of care.
More from this journalRelated subjects (MeSH) |
