Maduranga Sachith, Shrestha Lok Bahadur, Valencia Braulio Mark, Horton Graeme, Guppy Michelle, Gidding Heather F, Graves Stephen, Stenos John, Rawlinson William, Lloyd Andrew R, Rodrigo Chaturaka
School of Biomedical Sciences, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Aust J Rural Health. 2025 Apr;33(2):e70030. doi: 10.1111/ajr.70030.
To qualitatively explore the perceptions of general practitioners in regional New South Wales, Australia, on diagnosing, managing and preventing Q fever.
Q fever is a prevalent zoonosis in regional New South Wales, but diagnosis may be missed as patients have symptoms similar to influenza or COVID. Perspectives of general practitioners who are the primary health care providers in rural areas are important to understand the logistical difficulties in providing optimum care to Q fever patients.
General practitioners practicing outside of metropolitan Sydney in regional postcodes of New South Wales, Australia.
Eligible general practitioners were interviewed online using a semi-structured interview guide on their approach to diagnosis, management and prevention of Q fever. The data were transcribed, coded using NVivo software, and analysed to identify emerging overarching themes.
Thematic saturation was achieved after 11 interviews. Diagnostic delays due to prioritising more common differential diagnoses for an influenza-like illness, difficulties in navigating the complex serological test interpretations for diagnosis, logistical difficulties in arranging immunisation, and the need for continuing medical education were the broad themes emerging from the data analysis.
Investment in continuing medical education and expansion of the reference resources made available to general practitioners regarding the diagnosis and management of Q fever will improve health care for people suffering from and at risk of Q fever in regional New South Wales.
定性探索澳大利亚新南威尔士州地区全科医生对Q热的诊断、管理及预防的看法。
Q热是新南威尔士州地区一种普遍的人畜共患病，但由于患者症状与流感或新冠相似，可能会漏诊。了解作为农村地区主要医疗服务提供者的全科医生的观点，对于理解为Q热患者提供最佳护理时的后勤困难很重要。
在澳大利亚新南威尔士州地区邮政编码区域、悉尼大都市以外执业的全科医生。
符合条件的全科医生通过在线方式，使用半结构化访谈指南就其对Q热的诊断、管理及预防方法接受访谈。数据被转录，使用NVivo软件编码，并进行分析以确定新出现的总体主题。
11次访谈后达到主题饱和。数据分析中出现的广泛主题包括：因优先考虑对流感样疾病更常见的鉴别诊断而导致诊断延迟、解读用于诊断的复杂血清学检测结果存在困难、安排免疫接种存在后勤困难以及需要继续医学教育。
对继续医学教育进行投资，并扩大向全科医生提供的有关Q热诊断和管理的参考资源，将改善新南威尔士州地区Q热患者及有感染风险人群的医疗保健。
