Document Detail


Effect of restricting contact between pharmaceutical company representatives and internal medicine residents on posttraining attitudes and behavior.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  11667936     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
CONTEXT: The long-term effect of policies restricting contact between residents and pharmaceutical company representatives (PCRs) during internal medicine training is unknown. The McMaster University Department of Medicine in Hamilton, Ontario, implemented a policy restricting PCR contact with trainees in 1992, whereas the Department of Medicine at the University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, has no such policy. OBJECTIVE: To determine if the presence of a restrictive policy and the frequency of contact with PCRs during internal medicine training predict attitudes and behavior several years after completion of training. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Retrospective analysis of the attitudes and behavior of 3 cohorts of physicians: University of Toronto trainees, prepolicy McMaster trainees, and postpolicy McMaster trainees. Surveys were mailed to 242 former University of Toronto and 57 former McMaster trainees who completed their internal medicine training between 1990 and 1996, with response rates of 163 (67%) and 42 (74%), respectively. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Physician attitude, assessed by a question about the perceived helpfulness of PCR information, and behavior, assessed by whether physicians met with PCRs in the office and the frequency of contacts with PCRs (current contact score, consisting of conversations with PCRs, PCR-sponsored events attended, gifts, honoraria, and consulting fees received). RESULTS: In both the unadjusted and multiple regression analyses, postpolicy McMaster trainees were less likely to find information from PCRs beneficial in guiding their practice compared with Toronto and prepolicy McMaster trainees, with unadjusted odds ratios (ORs) of 0.44 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.20-0.94) and 0.39 (95% CI, 0.13-1.22), respectively. All 3 groups were equally likely to report that they met with PCRs in their office in the past year (88%). Postpolicy McMaster trainees had a lower current contact score compared with Toronto (9.3 vs 10.9; P =.04) and prepolicy McMaster trainees (9.3 vs 10.8; P =.18). In multiple regression models, greater frequency of contact with PCRs during training was a predictor of increased perceived benefit of PCR information (OR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.13-1.47) and was positively correlated with the current contact score (partial r = 0.49; P<.001). Number of PCR-sponsored rounds attended during training was not a consistent predictor of attitudes or behavior. CONCLUSIONS: Policies restricting PCR access to internal medicine trainees and the amount of contact during residency appear to affect future attitudes and behavior of physicians.
Authors:
B B McCormick; G Tomlinson; P Brill-Edwards; A S Detsky
Related Documents :
16710546 - Essential medicines and human rights: what can they learn from each other?
8950886 - A visiting doctor's perspective in afghanistan: poverty, civil war, and private medicine.
7305156 - National study of internal medicine manpower: vii. residency and fellowship training 19...
12709096 - Comprehensive ambulatory medicine training for categorical internal medicine residents.
20525416 - Intensive diabetes management: negotiating evidence-based practice.
10989706 - Training perioperative physicians.
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article    
Journal Detail:
Title:  JAMA : the journal of the American Medical Association     Volume:  286     ISSN:  0098-7484     ISO Abbreviation:  JAMA     Publication Date:    2001 Oct 24-31
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2001-10-22     Completed Date:  2001-12-04     Revised Date:  2006-11-07    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  7501160     Medline TA:  JAMA     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  1994-9     Citation Subset:  AIM; E; IM    
Affiliation:
Mount Sinai Hospital, 600 University Ave, Room 427, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1X5.
Export Citation:
APA/MLA Format     Download EndNote     Download BibTex
MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Academic Medical Centers / organization & administration*
Attitude of Health Personnel*
Drug Industry*
Internal Medicine / education*,  standards
Internship and Residency / standards*
Interprofessional Relations*
Ontario
Organizational Policy
Physician's Practice Patterns
Regression Analysis
Retrospective Studies
Comments/Corrections
Comment In:
JAMA. 2002 Feb 20;287(7):844   [PMID:  11851574 ]

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


Previous Document:  Process of care and outcomes for elderly patients hospitalized with peptic ulcer disease: results fr...
Next Document:  Universal newborn hearing screening: summary of evidence.