Abstract
Background: Gastroesophageal reflux disease is a high prevalence disease ranging from 21-56% in different countries. Although the economic costs of treating this disorder are enormous, the knowledge and practice of physicians who treat patients with GERD are not well known. This study was undertaken to determine how physicians manage patients with GERD.
Methods: A questionnaire was distributed to 150 primary care physicians working in King Abdul Aziz Medical City in Riyadh including consultants, staff physicians, and residents.
Results: A total of 108 completed questionnaires were returned with a response rate of almost 72%. A total of 57.4% of the respondents were males; 26.9% of the respondents had practiced for more than 15 years, and 35.2% had practiced 5 years or less. Almost half of the physicians were unaware of generally accepted guidelines for the evaluation and treatment of GERD. Staff physicians and younger physicians prescribed proton pump inhibitors more often than consultants, for mild or intermittent GERD symptoms. Male physicians were more likely to use step-down therapy in patients with well controlled GERD symptoms than female physicians.
Conclusions: Age, gender and the position of physician significantly influenced how physicians evaluated and treated patients with GERD.