Cesare Turrina Paolo Valsecchi Silvia Bonomi Paola Corsini Paolo Cacciani Gerardo Medea Ovidio Brignoli Emilio Sacchetti
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Objective: This study investigated the level
of knowledge about schizophrenia of primary care doctors working in the city of Brescia, Italy,
and variables associated with better information.
Method: The study design was devised after
2 joint meetings with leading figures of the
Italian College of General Practitioners. A
cross-sectional evaluation of 215 general practitioners
was performed (June 2002). A random subgroup was selected to participate in a 4-month retest
session in order to evaluate the reliability of the
schedule (October 2002). The setting was the local
health unit of Brescia, which involves 706 primary
care doctors working in the city and its province.
Of these, 30.5% took part in the study. A
structured self-report questionnaire (SAKS) was devised
for this study. General practitioners were also
asked to rate videotaped cases of 5 patients with
different DSM-IV diagnoses. The main outcome measures were the scores from subscales
measuring knowledge of schizophrenia symptoms and
signs, knowledge of antipsychotics and their
adverse events, and correct diagnoses of 5
videotaped cases.
Results: Primary care doctors identified
positive (79.0%), negative (72.6%) and general (72.1%) symptoms of schizophrenia
(p
Conclusion: More teaching on the
diagnosis of schizophrenia and clinical
psychopharmacology should be given to general practitioners.
Prim Care Companion J Clin Psychiatry 2006;8(4):192-197
https://doi.org/10.4088/PCC.v08n0401
© Copyright 2006 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.