Stool submission by general practitioners in SW England - when, why and how? A qualitative study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

We know little about when and why general practitioners (GPs) submit stool specimens in patients with diarrhoea. The recent UK-wide intestinal infectious disease (IID2) study found ten GP consultations for every case reported to national surveillance. We aimed to explore what factors influence GP's decisions to send stool specimens for laboratory investigation, and what guidance, if any, informs them.

Methods

We used qualitative methods that enabled us to explore opinions and ask open questions through 20 telephone interviews with GPs with a range of stool submission rates in England, and a discussion group with 24 GPs. Interviews were transcribed and subjected to content analysis.

Results

Interviews: GPs only sent stool specimens to microbiology if diarrho

SUBMITTER: McNulty CA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3481435 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature