Direct mailing of consensus recommendations did not alter GPs' knowledge and prescription of oestrogen in the menopause.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the impact of an information-package (direct mailing) concerning oestrogen therapy, deriving from a consensus conference in 1990, on general practitioners' (GPs') attitudes and knowledge.

DESIGN AND SUBJECTS

Controlled randomised study. Two groups of Norwegian GPs. The Intervention group received an information-package consisting of the recommendations from the consensus conference, some headline questions with answers, and a classification of the oestrogens available in Norway, including a table and a graphical presentation of the costs of the different treatments. GPs stated their views on prescribing oestrogen on a five step scale, related to nine short case histories, each containing cues on complaints, smoking, family history suggesting risk for cardiovascular disease, and osteoporosis.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

GPs' views on prescribing oestrogen, relation to age, sex, practice type (solo/group) and practice location.

RESULTS

The differences in answer distributions between the Intervention (n = 193) and Control (n = 181) groups did not reach statistical significance for any of the nine case histories. The answers indicate a more liberal attitude towards replacement therapy in 1992 compared to a study performed in 1990. The views on contraindications was fundamentally unaltered.

CONCLUSION

The study did not reveal any significant effect of direct mailing as means of disseminating consensus conference recommendations to GPs.