Assesment of knowledge level of family physicians regarding diagnosis and treatment of thyroid disorders

Assesment of Knowledge Level of Family Physicians Regarding Diagnosis and Treatment of Thyroid Disorders INTRODUCTION AND AIM:Thyroid diseases are common, presenting with non-specific symptoms and various metabolic effects. Evaluation involves history-taking, physical examination, biochemical tests, and imaging. Family physicians in Sakarya play a crucial role in diagnosis and treatment. Our study aims to assess their knowledge levels and factors influencing them, considering the potential serious consequences of undiagnosed/untreated thyroid diseases. METHODS:Within the scope of our cross-sectional and descriptive study, which was conducted between May 01, 2023, and May 31, 2023, a total of 213 family physicians working in family health centers in the province of Sakarya were included. Participants were administered a questionnaire either face-to-face or online. The questionnaire consisted of a total of 28 questions. The data were recorded in SPSS 20.0 and subjected to statistical analysis. RESULTS:Study conducted with a total of 213 participants, it was determined that 129 (60.5%) were male and 84 (39.5%) were female. The mean age of the participants was found to be 40.54 ± 9.3 Standard Deviation (SD). In 5 out of 8 questions about diagnosing, treating thyroid diseases, and understanding the effects and side effects of medications used, over 60% of participants provided accurate answers. When comparing the duration of employment with the average scores, participants who had been working for more than 11 years had a median test score of 17.0, while those who had been working for less than 10 years had a median score of 15.0. This result was statistically significant (p=0.002). CONCLUSIONS:Family physicians actively involved in managing thyroid diseases address primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention needs through diagnosis and follow-up. They demonstrate the ability to handle the entire process, including emergency situations, through effective teamwork. Accurate participant responses suggest that in primary healthcare, comprehensive and literature-aligned individualized treatment plans for thyroid diseases are consistently delivered. Key words:Family medicine, primary healthcare, thyroid diseases