Delaney Lucy, Semper Amanda, French Neil, Tulloch John Sp
NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Emerging and Zoonotic Infections, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
BJGP Open. 2025 Apr 24;9(1). doi: 10.3399/BJGPO.2024.0092. Print 2025 Apr.
Lyme disease (LD) cases in the UK most commonly present within the primary care setting. Despite an upward trend of incidence, little is known regarding GP experience with diagnosis and treatment.
This study aims to describe baseline primary care clinician Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) in Scotland and England.
DESIGN & SETTING: Online KAP survey on LD for UK-based practising GPs.
An online KAP questionnaire was developed for use in UK primary care. The survey was distributed through UK-based research networks, professional societies, and via social media.
A total of 191 complete responses were analysed (England = 130, Scotland = 61). The Scotland-based responder group had more relevant consultations in the previous 3 years. Responders from Scotland demonstrated a greater awareness that erythema migrans (EM) is pathognomonic for LD and that serological testing of this patient group is not indicated. Less common cardiac and neurological symptoms were not as well associated with LD by both responder groups for the former and England-based responders for the latter. Prescribing according to the National institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance was identified in 70% of Scotland and 42% of England-based GP responses.
Targeted resources may improve clinician confidence on exposure risk, symptom recognition, testing limitations and treatment dose and duration. Scotland-based responders' better survey performance potentially reflects greater clinical exposure and public awareness of the disease, due to high endemicity within the nation.
英国的莱姆病（LD）病例大多在基层医疗环境中出现。尽管发病率呈上升趋势，但对于全科医生（GP）在诊断和治疗方面的经验却知之甚少。
本研究旨在描述苏格兰和英格兰基层医疗临床医生的基线知识、态度和实践（KAP）情况。
针对英国执业全科医生的莱姆病在线KAP调查。
开发了一份用于英国基层医疗的在线KAP问卷。该调查通过英国的研究网络、专业协会以及社交媒体进行分发。
共分析了191份完整回复（英格兰 = 130份，苏格兰 = 61份）。以苏格兰为基地的应答组在过去3年中有更多相关会诊。来自苏格兰的应答者更清楚地认识到游走性红斑（EM）是莱姆病的特征性表现，并且该患者群体无需进行血清学检测。对于不太常见的心脏和神经症状，两组应答者（前者）以及以英格兰为基地的应答者（后者）都没有很好地将其与莱姆病联系起来。在苏格兰70%以及英格兰42%的全科医生回复中发现了根据英国国家卫生与临床优化研究所（NICE）指南进行开药治疗的情况。
有针对性的资源可能会提高临床医生在暴露风险、症状识别、检测局限性以及治疗剂量和疗程方面的信心。由于苏格兰国内莱姆病的高流行率，以苏格兰为基地的应答者在调查中的更好表现可能反映出他们有更多的临床接触以及公众对该疾病有更高的认知度。
