Doctors' attitudes to and knowledge and usage of growth charts

dc.contributor.authorSmith, Selma
dc.contributor.authorReji, Elizabeth
dc.contributor.emailselma.smith@up.ac.zaen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2015-09-28T06:12:40Z
dc.date.available2015-09-28T06:12:40Z
dc.date.issued2015
dc.description.abstractBACKGROUND : Growth charts have been used worldwide for about 40 years but their use has always been fraught with problems. METHODS : A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out on the reported usage of growth charts and whether there are factors that affect usage by the general practitioners working with children in public hospitals. Data were collected through the use of a self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire covered four concepts: demographic factors; doctors’ self-reported growth chart usage; doctors’ attitude towards growth monitoring and use of growth charts; and doctors’ knowledge in terms of plotting, interpretation and management of growth patterns. RESULTS : A total of 90 out of 100 doctors completed the questionnaires. More than half (57%) of the doctors had high workloads. Fifty-six (62.2%) doctors thought they were too busy to use growth charts. Only 37 (41%) doctors achieved an acceptable total knowledge score. Although just over two-thirds of (67.8%) doctors reported a positive attitude towards growth monitoring, their reported usage does not reflect it. Fifty-four (60%) doctors plotted weights correctly. Doctors recognised the most probable cause for the given growth patterns. However, most doctors struggled to choose the most appropriate management option. Skill in plotting was associated with more regular usage. Better knowledge and a positive attitude were associated with higher usage whereas a perception of high workload and several years’ experience were associated with lower levels of usage. CONCLUSIONS : While doctors reported a positive attitude towards the use of growth charts, they lacked the knowledge to utilise them optimally and reported that the chart was often not used.en_ZA
dc.description.librarianam2015en_ZA
dc.description.urihttp://medpharm.tandfonline.com/loi/ojfp20en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationSmith, S & Reji, E 2015, 'Doctors' attitudes to and knowledge and usage of growth charts', South African Family Practice, vol. 57, no 3, pp. 219-222.en_ZA
dc.identifier.issn2078-6190 (print)
dc.identifier.issn2078-6204 (online)
dc.identifier.other10.1080/20786190.2014.976978
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2263/50045
dc.language.isoenen_ZA
dc.publisherMedPharm Publicationsen_ZA
dc.rights© 2015 The Author(s). Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons License [CC BY-NC-ND 4.0].en_ZA
dc.subjectAttitude of health personnelen_ZA
dc.subjectGrowth chartsen_ZA
dc.subjectGrowth monitoringen_ZA
dc.subjectKnowledgeen_ZA
dc.subjectMedical staffen_ZA
dc.subjectRoad to Health bookleten_ZA
dc.subject.otherHealth sciences articles SDG-03
dc.subject.otherSDG-03: Good health and well-being
dc.titleDoctors' attitudes to and knowledge and usage of growth chartsen_ZA
dc.typeArticleen_ZA

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