Article Figures & Data
Tables
AAFP Physicians Surveyed AAFP NRN Physicians Surveyed Survey Members Sample/Population No. Respondents No. (%) Members No. Respondents No. (%) AAFP = American Academy of Family Physicians; NRN = National Research Network. a Survey had 2 follow-up mailings to nonrespondents for both surveyed groups. b Number in parentheses signifies effective sample size, or the original sample size minus mailed questionnaires with bad addresses returned to AAFP NRN research office. c Survey had 2 follow-up mailings to AAFP member nonrespondents and no follow-up mailings to AAFP NRN nonrespondents. Hepatitis C, 2003a 1,200/34,467 (1,189)b 634 (53) 243 174 (72) Hyperlipidemia, 2003–2004c 1,200/33,233 (1,168)b 676 (58) 258 155 (60) Pharyngitis, 2004a 1,000/33,200 (994)b 583 (59) 263 186 (71) - Table 2.
Demographic Comparisons between AAFP Respondents and AAFP NRN Respondents Across 3 National Surveys
Hepatitis C Survey Hyperlipidemia Survey Pharyngitis Survey Demographic Characteristic AAFP NRN AAFP NRN AAFP NRN AAFP = American Academy of Family Physicians; NRN = National Research Network. a P values based on χ2 tests using categorical data and t tests (independent samples) for comparing means between the 2 groups. b Data obtained from AAFP Member Master Database for both AAFP and AAFP NRN respondents and not from survey. Sex Male, % 70 76 70 76 71 72 Female, % 30 24 30 24 29 28 No. of cases 596 174 641 152 523 181 Probabilitya .089 .137 .749 Practice location Urban, % 24 33 Item not asked Item not asked 21 32 Suburban, % 39 35 – – 43 39 Rural, % 37 33 – – 35 29 No. of cases 585 171 – – 505 175 Probabilitya .054 – – .016 Practice type Single specialty, % 67 46 71 61 Item not asked Item not asked Multispecialty, % 20 16 18 19 – – Residency university, % 4 37 No such category No such category – – Other, % 9 2 11 20 – – No. of cases 592 173 641 148 – – Probabilitya <.001 .001 – – – Census region Northeast, % 15 24 16 21 14 23 Midwest, % 26 16 30 20 29 18 South, % 35 36 30 34 35 34 West, % 25 24 24 25 22 26 No. of cases 596 166 641 142 510 172 Probabilitya .009 – .099 – .006 – Age, years Mean, years 45.8 47.3 46.9 48.0 46.7 47.8 SD, years 9.0 7.6 9.1 7.8 9.0 8.2 No. of cases 591 174 630 152 524 161 Probabilitya .046 – .186 – .145 – Years in practice Mean years 14.5 16.4 15.4 17.0 14.7 16.1 SD, years 9.3 7.7 9.6 7.8 9.0 8.3 No. of cases 588 172 629 151 521 181 Probabilitya .015 – .053 – .067 – Time in patient care Mean, % 90.2 68.5 89.0 64.9 89.3b 61.7b SD, % 12.9 27.6 11.7 27.3 12.2 32.7 No. of cases 597 174 641 155 524 161 Probabilitya <.001 – <.001 – <.001 – - Table 3.
Clinical Items Showing Differences Between AAFP and AAFP NRN Physicians Across 3 National Surveys
Survey and Item AAFP AAFP NRN χ2(df) Probability AAFP = American Academy of Family Physicians; NRN = National Research Network; PANDAS = pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder with group A streptococcus. Hepatitis C survey Test prenatal patients 10.960 (3) .012 Very likely, % 18.9 13.3 Somewhat likely, % 21.5 20.9 Somewhat unlikely, % 43.8 38.6 Very unlikely, % 15.9 27.2 Total No. 466 158 Refer to gastroenterologist for positive test 23.506 (1) <.001 Yes, % 73.9 54.2 No, % 26.1 45.8 Total No. 564 166 Hyperlipidemia survey Low-density lipoprotein goal 33.384 (3) <.001 <70 mg/dL, % 5.0 11.7 <100 mg/dL, % 74.3 82.5 <130 mg/dL, % 18.5 1.9 <160 mg/dL, % 2.3 3.9 Total No. 622 154 Stop statin if elevated liver function test 15.682 (4) .003 Any elevation above normal, % 6.7 5.8 1.5 X upper limit of normal, % 18.5 9.7 2 X upper limit of normal, % 40.9 48.4 3 X upper limit of normal, % 28.6 35.5 Other, % 5.3 0.6 Total No. 626 155 Pharyngitis survey Stop antibiotics if test negative 16.536 (3) .001 Always, % 23.2 13.7 Often, % 22.1 38.8 Sometimes, % 33.9 31.7 Never, % 20.8 15.8 Total No. 375 139 Antibiotics to stop PANDAS 5.065 (1) .024 Yes, % 15.5 8.8 No, % 84.5 91.2 Total No. 528 181 To shorten course of symptoms 3.873 (1) .049 Yes, % 66.7 74.6 No, % 33.3 25.4 Total No. 529 181 Most likely diagnostic and treatment approach to patient 11.803 (5) .038 No test, give antibiotic, % 25.9 32.6 Rapid test, give antibiotic if positive and no antibiotic if negative, % 9.6 14.4 Rapid test, give antibiotic if positive, culture and give antibiotic if negative, and give antibiotic awaiting results, % 29.6 27.6 Rapid test, give antibiotic if positive, culture and no antibiotic if negative awaiting results, % 15.6 11.0 Culture, give antibiotic, await results 8.0 8.8 Rapid test and or culture and give anti- biotic despite a negative result, % 11.3 5.5 Total No. 513 181
Additional Files
Supplemental Tables
Supplemental Table 1. Physician and Practice Variables Describing AAFP Active Members Available in AAFP Master Member Database at Time of 3 Surveys; Supplemental Table 2. Demographic Differences Between AAFP Membership and AAFP Survey Respondents Across 3 National Surveys; Supplemental Table 3. Clinical Topic Areas of Items Covered Within 3 National Surveys
Files in this Data Supplement:
- Supplemental data: Tables 1-3 - PDF file, 4 pages, 144 KB
The Article in Brief
Representativeness of PBRN Physician Practice Patterns and Related Beliefs: The Case of the AAFP National Research Network
James M. Galliher , and colleagues
Background The most systematic studies concerning primary care have been conducted in practice-based research networks. This study examined the extent to which physicians in the American Academy of Family Physicians National Research Network (AAFP NRN) are representative of the larger population of family physicians with respect to their self-reported clinical practices, behaviors, knowledge and beliefs about selected clinical issues.
What This Study Found Based on the results of three separate surveys, the study finds that physician members of the American Academy of Family Physicians National Research Network are representative of family physicians at large in terms of self-reported practice patterns, knowledge and clinical beliefs.
Implications
- This study helps support the potential generalizability of PBRN findings.
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