Assessment of Motivational and Cognitive Status of Primary Care Clinicians Who Treat Metabolic Syndrome Patients

Abstract

Recently, the clinicians’ attention has been driven to metabolic syndrome (MS), due to increasing prevalence and adverse prognosis of MS. The goal of the treatment of any chronic disease is the achievement of adequate therapeutic compliance which, in turn, is determined by motivational status of both clinicians and patients. The associations between clinicians’ motivation for long-term treatment, their knowledge levels, and the readiness to apply this knowledge in practice, on one hand, and the achievement of chronic disease compensation in patients, on the other hand, deserve further investigation.Aim. To analyse the readiness of primary care clinicians for the treatment of MS patients. The specific objective was to assess the district therapeutists’ knowledge, skills, and readiness to implement them in clinical practice while treating MS patients.Material and methods. The study included district therapeutists working at Moscow City polyclinics. In 2011-2013, the participants took continuous medical education courses at the Therapy Department No. 2, Post-diploma Medical Education Faculty, Moscow State Medico-Stomatological University. The doctors’ knowledge and skills were assessed in a questionnaire survey.Conclusion. The results obtained demonstrate inadequate readiness of district therapeutists for the treatment of MS patients.