Abstract
To understand physician practices regarding the diagnosis of acute diarrheal diseases, we conducted a survey, in 1996, of 2839 physicians in Connecticut, Georgia, Minnesota, Oregon, and California. Bacterial stool culture was requested for samples from the last patient seen for acute diarrhea by 784 (44%; 95% confidence interval, 42%-46%) of 1783 physicians. Physicians were more likely to request a culture for persons with acquired immune deficiency syndrome, bloody stools, travel to a developing country, diarrhea for >3 days, intravenous rehydration, or fever. Substantial geographic and specialty differences in culture-request practices were observed. Twenty-eight percent of physicians did not know whether stool culture included testing for Escherichia coli O157:H7; 40% did not know whether Yersinia or Vibrio species were included. These variabilities suggest a need for clinical diagnostic guidelines for diarrhea. Many physicians could benefit from education to improve their knowledge about tests included in routine stool examinations.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Journal | Clinical Infectious Diseases |
| Volume | 38 |
| Issue number | SUPPL. 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Apr 15 2004 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Immunology
Cite this
Survey of physician diagnostic practices for patients with acute diarrhea : Clinical and public health implications. / Hennessy, Thomas W.; Marcus, Ruthanne; Deneen, Valerie; Reddy, Sudha; Vugia, Duc; Townes, John; Bardsley, Molly; Swerdlow, David; Angulo, Frederick J.
In: Clinical Infectious Diseases, Vol. 38, No. SUPPL. 3, 15.04.2004.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Survey of physician diagnostic practices for patients with acute diarrhea
T2 - Clinical and public health implications
AU - Hennessy, Thomas W.
AU - Marcus, Ruthanne
AU - Deneen, Valerie
AU - Reddy, Sudha
AU - Vugia, Duc
AU - Townes, John
AU - Bardsley, Molly
AU - Swerdlow, David
AU - Angulo, Frederick J.
PY - 2004/4/15
Y1 - 2004/4/15
N2 - To understand physician practices regarding the diagnosis of acute diarrheal diseases, we conducted a survey, in 1996, of 2839 physicians in Connecticut, Georgia, Minnesota, Oregon, and California. Bacterial stool culture was requested for samples from the last patient seen for acute diarrhea by 784 (44%; 95% confidence interval, 42%-46%) of 1783 physicians. Physicians were more likely to request a culture for persons with acquired immune deficiency syndrome, bloody stools, travel to a developing country, diarrhea for >3 days, intravenous rehydration, or fever. Substantial geographic and specialty differences in culture-request practices were observed. Twenty-eight percent of physicians did not know whether stool culture included testing for Escherichia coli O157:H7; 40% did not know whether Yersinia or Vibrio species were included. These variabilities suggest a need for clinical diagnostic guidelines for diarrhea. Many physicians could benefit from education to improve their knowledge about tests included in routine stool examinations.
AB - To understand physician practices regarding the diagnosis of acute diarrheal diseases, we conducted a survey, in 1996, of 2839 physicians in Connecticut, Georgia, Minnesota, Oregon, and California. Bacterial stool culture was requested for samples from the last patient seen for acute diarrhea by 784 (44%; 95% confidence interval, 42%-46%) of 1783 physicians. Physicians were more likely to request a culture for persons with acquired immune deficiency syndrome, bloody stools, travel to a developing country, diarrhea for >3 days, intravenous rehydration, or fever. Substantial geographic and specialty differences in culture-request practices were observed. Twenty-eight percent of physicians did not know whether stool culture included testing for Escherichia coli O157:H7; 40% did not know whether Yersinia or Vibrio species were included. These variabilities suggest a need for clinical diagnostic guidelines for diarrhea. Many physicians could benefit from education to improve their knowledge about tests included in routine stool examinations.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=2142655045&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=2142655045&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1086/381588
DO - 10.1086/381588
M3 - Article
C2 - 15095191
AN - SCOPUS:2142655045
VL - 38
JO - Clinical Infectious Diseases
JF - Clinical Infectious Diseases
SN - 1058-4838
IS - SUPPL. 3
ER -