Dengue fever management practices of General physicians: Diagnosis and following WHO / Dengue good clinical practice(GCP) guidelines.

Abstract

Abstract: General physicians (GPs) are first contact by the majority of patients for management of any illness. So the way they manage dengue fever (DF) in community can architect the fate of epidemic in terms of morbidity and mortality. This study aimed at exploring how GPs diagnose DF and whether they are following WHO/ Dengue GCP guidelines for DF. Methodology: A total of 350 GPs were interviewed for their diagnostic practices regarding DF and whether they followed the above mentioned guidelines of not. Results: Out of 350 doctors, 204 (58.2%) doctors used diagnostics tests where they had suspicion of dengue fever and most of them, 188 (53.6%) relied on serial Complete blood count (CBC) for the diagnosis while 16 (4.7%) doctors claimed that they ordered NS 1 protein. For reasons for not using the tests, 119 (81.5%) said that due to strong clinical suspicion they thought it was unnecessary and 8 (5.4%) said the patients unwilling while 17(11.6%)  doctors mentioned unaffordability of patients. 306(86.6%) doctors knew that either WHO guidelines/ Dengue GCP guidelines existed for management of DF. 171(48.8%)  doctors followed these guidelines for management of DF while 66 (32.2%)  doctors partially used it while rest(18.8%) said that they never used it. Conclusions: diagnostic practices were not upto standards and a big proportion of GPs did not follow WHO/ Dengue GCP guidelines and hence training of GPs in this regard is recommended.