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. 2003 Jul;49:896–902.

Knowledge and attitudes regarding care of leg ulcers. Survey of family physicians.

Ian D Graham 1, Margaret B Harrison 1, Mona Shafey 1, David Keast 1
PMCID: PMC2214258  PMID: 12901487

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To determine family physicians' perceptions of and attitudes toward leg ulcer care and awareness of effective treatments for venous leg ulcers. DESIGN: Self-administered, cross-sectional faxed and mailed survey. SETTING: Ottawa-Carleton, Ont. PARTICIPANTS: All physicians in the region who were members of the College of Family Physicians of Canada. RESULTS: Response rate was 62%. During 1 month, 107 physicians reported having 226 patients with leg ulcers; only a few patients had had ultrasound assessment. Few physicians (16%) were confident about managing leg ulcers; 61% reported not knowing enough about wound-care products. More than 50% were unaware that compression is effective treatment for venous ulcers. Problems reported were lack of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for leg ulcer care (82%); absence of evidence-based protocols in home-care agencies (72%); lack of access to wound-care products (69%) and wound-care centres (66%); and poor communication among health care workers (60%). CONCLUSION: Better access to diagnostic assessments and use of compression therapy for venous leg ulcers would improve care.

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Selected References

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