Table 3.
Factors, which are rated by GPs, that affect their prescribing decisions and the frequency of using reference sources in case of any problems in prescribing.
| Level of effect | |||
| High | Moderate | Low | |
| Factors | % | % | % |
| Self reading after graduation | 50.7 | 31.5 | 17.8 |
| Activities of sales representatives | 40.1 | 30.3 | 29.6 |
| Observation of prescribing during clinical practice in medical school | 37.5 | 39.5 | 23.0 |
| Pharmacology courses during formal medical education. | 34.2 | 16.4 | 49.4 |
| Consultation with other physicians | 24.3 | 39.5 | 36.2 |
| Post-graduate in-service training provided by public sector | 13.2 | 44.7 | 42.1 |
| Frequency | |||
| Frequently | Sometimes | Rarely | |
| Reference resources | % | % | % |
| Drug guides of pharmaceutical companies | 73.7 | 19.7 | 6.6 |
| Medical text boks | 48.7 | 38.1 | 13.2 |
| The documents of pharmaceutical companies** | 33.6 | 32.8 | 33.6 |
| Consultation with a specialist doctor | 19.1 | 41.4 | 39.5 |
| Consultation with other GPs | 15.8 | 32.2 | 52.0 |
| Academic journals | 9.2 | 35.5 | 55.3 |
* Row %
** Educational documents other than drug guides (brochures etc...)