02631nas a2200349   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653001000055653003300065653002400098653002800122653001100150653002400161653004200185653001100227653001200238653000900250653001300259653002300272653001800295653002700313653003100340100001300371700001500384700001400399700001300413245009800426300001000524490000700534520172600541022001402267       2009                            d  c2009 Apr10aAdult10aAttitude of Health Personnel10aClinical Competence10aCross-Sectional Studies10aFemale10aHealth Care Surveys10aHealth Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice10aHumans10aleprosy10aMale10aPakistan10aPhysicians, Family10aPublic health10aQuality of Health Care10aSurveys and Questionnaires1 aBajaj DR1 aMatlani BL1 aSoomro FR1 aIqbal MP00aKnowledge, attitude and practices regarding leprosy among general practitioners at Hyderabad.  a215-80 v193 a<p><b>OBJECTIVE: </b>To assess the level of knowledge, social attitude towards patients, and diagnostic and management capabilities of general practitioners (KAP) regarding leprosy, practicing at Hyderabad, Pakistan.</p><p><b>STUDY DESIGN: </b>Cross-sectional study.</p><p><b>PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: </b>Hyderabad, Sindh, Pakistan, during October to December 2007.</p><p><b>METHODOLOGY: </b>A pre-tested and well-structured questionnaire consisting of 54 questions was administered to general practitioners working at various areas in Hyderabad. The questions were grouped under different headings and covered clinical features, common and uncommon presentations, complications, referral practices and stigma. The sum of correct answers marked by doctors was taken to classify the respondents. The doctors who responded correctly for upto 10 questions were assigned level 1 (poor), from 11 to 25: level 2 (average), from 26 to 40: level 3 (good), while those who marked correct answers for more than 40 questions were assigned level 4 (excellent). Chi-square test was used to determine significance at p<0.05.</p><p><b>RESULTS: </b>A total of 200 doctors were surveyed. Fourteen doctors (7%) had poor knowledge of disease (number of correct answers less than 10), 32 (16%) had average (number of correct answers between 11 and 25), 140 (70%) doctors good (number of correct answers between 26 and 40) while 14 (7%) had excellent (number of correct answers more than 40) knowledge of the disease.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION: </b>There is inconsistency and deficiencies in the knowledge, referral pattern and treatment of leprosy among general practitioners, which needs to be improved by conducting awareness activities.</p>  a1022-386X