GP detection of health risk factors among general practice patients at risk of primary and secondary stroke.

Background: People with a history of stroke or heart disease are at increased risk of future stroke; therefore, identification of risk factors by GPs is critical.
Objectives: To compare the following among general practice patients with and without a history of stroke or heart disease: (i) self-reported prevalence rates of lifestyle risk factors; (ii) accuracy of GP detection of patient-reported risk factors and (iii) average proportion of patient-reported risk factors detected by GPs.
Methods: Consecutive patients attending a participating general practice clinic were invited to participate in a cross-sectional touchscreen survey assessing lifestyle risk factors in 2010-11. The GP of each consenting patient completed a corresponding survey assessing the patient's risk factors. Demographic characteristics of patients and GPs were obtained.
Results: Data from 51 GPs and 564 patients were analysed. Patients without a history of stroke or heart disease reported significantly higher rates of smoking (12%) and risky alcohol consumption (56%) than patients with a history of stroke or heart disease (6% and 36%, respectively). Low sensitivity of GP detection of risk factors was found for all risk factors for all patients. Patients with a history of stroke or heart disease have a significantly higher mean proportion of risk factors detected by their GP compared to patients without a history of stroke or heart disease (P = 0.00).
Conclusion: Given low sensitivity and specificity of GP detection of risk factors among patients, alternate methods of identification are needed. Research is required to determine strategies to facilitate secondary care of patients with a history of stroke or heart disease by GPs.
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