General practitioners' views of absolute cardiovascular risk and its role in primary prevention

Project Status
Completed

Project Coordinator
Donna Torley

Chief Investigators
Nicholas Zwar, Elizabeth Comino, Mark Harris, Donna Torley

Rationale

Absolute cadiovascular (CVS) risk assessment is the risk of an individual experiencing a CVS event over a pre-defined period of time. The Australian Heart Foundation guidelines for hypertension and lipids and the RACGP guide to preventive care recommend the use of absolute risk. The extent to which GPs have embraced the change from assessment of isolated risk factors to use of absolute risk is unknown.

Aim

To investigate GPs' understanding of the concept of absolute CVS risk assessment, barriers to its use in practice and whether absolute CVS risk assessment currently influenced their treatment decisions.

Design and Method

Qualitative methodology was utilised. Focus groups were conducted with GPs in two Divisions of General Practice in the SWSAHS region.

Key Publications

Torley D, Zwar N, Comino E, Harris M. GPs' views of absolute cardiovascular risk and its role in primary prevention. Aust Fam Physician Vol 34 No.6 June 2005 503-504, 507.