Awareness of headache and of national headache society activities among primary care physicians – a qualitative study

BMC Research Notes

Peter S Sándor³  Ethan Taub⁵  Mark J Emmenegger⁸  Gabriele S Merki-Feld¹  Claudio Gobbi²  Mathias Sturzenegger⁷  Christian Jäggi⁶  Andreas R Gantenbein⁴ 

[1] University Women’s Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland;Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Lugano, Switzerland;Neurorehabilitation, RehaClinic, Baden, Switzerland;Headache and Pain Unit, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland;Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland;IMK Institute for Medicine and Communication, Basel, Switzerland;University Hospital Inselspital, Bern, Switzerland;Neurological Practice, Agno, Switzerland

关键词: Migraine;    National society;    Awareness;    MRI;    Primary care;    Headache;   

Others  :  1143086
DOI  :  10.1186/1756-0500-6-118

 received in 2012-10-27, accepted in 2013-03-20,  发布年份 2013

【 摘 要 】

Background

Headache is one of the most common symptoms in primary care. To improve the quality of headache diagnosis and management with the largest possible benefit for the general population, headache and pain societies around the world have recently been devoting more attention to headache in primary care.

The aim of the study was to investigate the potential contribution that national societies can make toward raising the awareness of primary headaches in general practice.

Findings

In a qualitative telephone survey, targeting primary care practices (PCP), we asked about the frequency of headache patients in their practices and inquired about their treatment and referral strategies.

A total of 1000 telephone interviews with PCP have been conducted. Three-hundred and fifty physicians have been directly interviewed, 95% of them see headache patients every week, 23% daily. Direct MRI referral is done by 84%. Sixty-two per cent of the physicians knew the Swiss headache society, 73% were interested in further education about headaches.

Conclusion

The survey yielded information about the physicians’ awareness of the Swiss Headache Society and its activities, and about their desire for continuing education in the area of headache. National headache societies should work to improve the cooperation between headache specialists and PCP, aiming for a better care for our patients with headache.

【 授权许可】

   
2013 Gantenbein et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

Figure 1.

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