Linden G J, Stevenson M, Burke F J
Division of Restorative Dentistry (Periodontics), School of Clinical Dentistry, Queen's University, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK.
J Clin Periodontol. 1999 Sep;26(9):590-5. doi: 10.1034/j.1600-051x.1999.260905.x.
This study investigated the periodontal referral patterns of general dental practitioners (GDPs) in Northern Ireland (NI) and North West England (NWE). A questionnaire dealing with periodontal referral was sent to all 520 GDPs registered in NI and to 274 GDPs in NWE. A usable return was made by 355 (68%) in NI and 189 (70%) in NWE. The NI dentists made significantly more periodontal referrals (median 5, range 0-80) in the year preceding the survey than those in NWE (median 2, range 0-50), p<0.001. Distance was the only factor significantly related to the referral rate in both regions with those who practised more than 25 miles from a specialist referring significantly fewer patients in both regions. In NI, there was a trend towards increased periodontal referral by GDPs who had attended more postgraduate courses; however, in NWE, this was not the case. The GDPs in NWE were significantly less likely than those in NI to refer patients with medical conditions. It is concluded that there is considerable variation in periodontal referral both within and between the 2 regions studied. It is further concluded that in many cases, non-disease factors, such as the accessibility of the specialist service, have powerful effects on the decisions made by dentists and patients in these regions (NI and NWE) in relation to periodontal referral. Much of the variance in referral in North West England, as in Northern Ireland, remains unexplained.
本研究调查了北爱尔兰（NI）和英格兰西北部（NWE）的普通牙科医生（GDPs）的牙周转诊模式。一份关于牙周转诊的问卷被发送给在NI注册的所有520名GDPs以及NWE的274名GDPs。NI有355名（68%）、NWE有189名（70%）给出了有效回复。在调查前一年，NI的牙医做出的牙周转诊显著多于NWE的牙医（中位数为5，范围0 - 80），而NWE的牙医为2（范围0 - 50），p<0.001。距离是两个地区与转诊率显著相关的唯一因素，在两个地区，距离专科医生执业地点超过25英里的医生转诊的患者明显更少。在NI，参加过更多研究生课程的GDPs有增加牙周转诊的趋势；然而，在NWE并非如此。NWE的GDPs比NI的GDPs转诊患有内科疾病患者的可能性显著更低。得出的结论是，在所研究的两个地区内部和之间，牙周转诊存在相当大的差异。进一步得出的结论是，在许多情况下，非疾病因素，如专科服务的可及性，对这些地区（NI和NWE）的牙医和患者在牙周转诊方面所做的决定有强大影响。与北爱尔兰一样，英格兰西北部转诊方面的许多差异仍无法解释。
