Abstrakt
Objectives: General practitioners (GPs) should play an integral role in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis (OP). The objective of this study was to evaluate their activities in secondary prevention of OP.
Methods: We analysed a postal questionnaire survey among randomly selected sample of GPs practicing in the Czech Republic. Information on demographic data, attitude to the GP's role in the fight against OP, OP risk assessment and management and its barriers, knowledge of OP and sources of information were analysed.
Results: The questionnaire return rate was 38% (n = 525), the respondent mean age was 52 years. Fracture as a consequence of OP is considered by 91% of respondents, but by more than half of them only sometimes or exceptionally.
Osteoporotic etiology is suspected most often because of the patient's age and of the fact that the fracture was caused by a relatively low impact. Risk factors (other than age) are reported by about 70% of respondents.
The most frequent GP post-fracture activity is referral to a specialist (82%), recommendation for lifestyle changes (64%) and prescription of calcium /vitamin D supplements (61%); less than half of GPs provide instruction on fall prevention. Conclusions: GPs take part in the secondary prevention of OP, but they should be more deeply interested in and have greater awareness of the prevention of OP.
It is necessary to motivate GPs to become more active in the management of OP fractures.