National survey addressing the information needs of primary care physicians: Side effect management of patients on androgen deprivation therapy By Soeyonggo et al. 2014
Concluding summary from the paper: “There is poor awareness of the prevalence of ADT side effects, and many [primary care physicians] are uncomfortable in managing these side effects.”
For the full abstract, see: http://journals.sfu.ca/cuaj/index.php/journal/article/view/1015
Commentary: This group of researchers out of Toronto surveyed nearly a hundred primary care physicians (PCP) in Canada, who regularly treat patients on ADT. Among the PCPs studied, “[t]hirty-eight percent felt their knowledge of ADT side effects was inadequate and 50% felt uncomfortable counselling patients on ADT.”
The authors go on to show that the doctors were not only uncomfortable with their level of knowledge about ADT, but for good reason. The PCPs demonstrated particularly poor knowledge about the more common effects that are most bothersome to patients. Although PCP are often the individuals who administer ADT for patients for an extended period of time, they are not collectively as well-informed about ADT as one would hope. Clearly, there is a need for educating not only the patients about how to deal with ADT side effects, but also the physicians that care for those patients. Recognizing this problem, the ADT Working group is pushing for continuing medical education for physicians as one strategy to help patients get better care when affected by these drugs.
Soeyonggo T, Locke J, Del Giudice ME, Alibhai S, Fleshner NE, Warde P. 2014. National survey addressing the information needs of primary care physicians: Side effect management of patients on androgen deprivation therapy. Canadian Urological Association Journal 8(3-4):E227-234.