What are the attitudes of general practitioners towards research?

Perceived priorities for future primary care research are chronic illness, primary care organisation, and patient behaviour.

Abstract

There is an urgent need for high quality primary care research to provide a firm scientific basis for a primary care-led National Health Service; however, relatively little is known about general practitioners' (GPs') stated practices and attitudes towards research. This cross-sectional questionnaire study documents the attitudes and stated practices of general practitioners towards undertaking and using research. Virtually all 249 (90%) GP responders felt that primary care research was important, while majorities expressed interest in research (61%), using research to directly influence practice (68%), and an interest in undertaking future research (53%). Perceived priorities for future primary care research are chronic illness, primary care organisation, and patient behaviour.