RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: Recommendations for good clinical practice concerning the treatment of urinary incontinence in women are available from the HAS (Haute Autorité de santé or French National Authority for Health), the Collège national des gynécologues obstétriciens français (French national college of gynaecologists and obstetricians) and Association française des urologues (French association of urologists). We wanted to conduct the first investigation of these recommendations to primary care physicians (GPs) and gynaecologists in the cities located in the same area of health. METHODS: A questionnaire was sent to GPs and gynaecologists (French administrative divisions 78 and 92), with questions on the recommendations, as well as the methods of dissemination of these recommendations. Response rate: 22%. RESULTS: A total of 72 questionnaires were usable from 51 (71%) GPs and 21 (29%) gynaecologists. Of these, 76% of gynecologists and 47% of GPs were aware of recommendations from the HAS for clinical practice for urinary incontinence in women (P=0.04). Only 56% of doctors prescribed a urinalysis (dipstick or bacteriological urinalysis) and evaluated the residual urine in women seeking care for symptoms of urinary incontinence. Training for one or two days was the most desirable/popular method of dissemination of the recommendations (30 out of 72 doctors), followed by journals such as Prescrire, then the mailing and forms provided by the HAS, especially when combined with office visits from a representative of the HAS. CONCLUSION: This study provided an interesting perspective on the knowledge, dissemination and application of recommendations for good clinical practice concerning urinary incontinence in women.
