Wagner, Sophia and Eickmann, Sascha and Baurecht, Hansjoerg and Herrmann, Anne (2024) A cross-sectional study exploring general practitioners' views on dietary supplements. BMC PRIMARY CARE, 25 (1): 401. ISSN , 2731-4553
Full text not available from this repository. (Request a copy)Abstract
BackgroundDietary supplements (DS) are often used by patients to enhance their health and well-being. General practitioners (GPs) are commonly the first point of contact for patients who enquire about DS. The aim of this study was to explore GPs' views on DS.MethodsA cross-sectional purposeful recruitment online survey of 162 general practitioners (GPs) in Germany was conducted between May and August 2021. The questionnaire assessed GPs' views on dietary supplements (DS), including perceptions of safety, efficacy, and importance in medical practice. Data were analyzed using inferential statistics and logistic regression analyses to explore associations between GPs' views and demographic factors.ResultsResponse rate could not be determined because multipliers were included here by means of personal networks, consent rate was 100%. Many respondents considered DS to be an important topic in their daily practice (64,8%, n = 99). Almost two thirds were convinced of their efficacy and considered DS to be safe for use (61,2%, n = 93). However, the majority of respondents were in favor of more standardized guidelines (86.8%, n = 132) and improved medical education on the handling of DS in routine care (89,5%, n = 136). Physicians who self-administered DS were statistically significantly more likely to perceive them as safe to use, with an OR of 4.25 (95% CI: 1.74-10.40). Self-administration [OR 4.52 (1.67-12.22)] and participation in continuous medical education (CME) [OR 3.52 (1.133-9.38)] were positively associated with perceiving them as an important topic.ConclusionsTo the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to assess German GPs' perceptions regarding DS. The majority of physicians recognized the importance of DS in routine care but wished for improved regulation and more standardized guidelines regarding their use. The findings could be used to develop targeted educational interventions and improve handling of DS in daily general practice. General practitioners (GP) in our study see dietary supplements (DS) as an important matter in their daily practice. While many GPs perceive DS to be safe for their patients, most of them wish for stricter regulations and guidelines on handling their use by patients. Practically all GPs expressed a need for enhanced education on DS.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | KNOWLEDGE; Dietary supplements; General practice; Cross-sectional; Survey; CAM |
| Subjects: | 500 Science > 570 Life sciences |
| Divisions: | Medicine > Institut für Epidemiologie und Präventivmedizin > Medical Sociology |
| Depositing User: | Dr. Gernot Deinzer |
| Date Deposited: | 15 Jul 2025 08:32 |
| Last Modified: | 15 Jul 2025 08:33 |
| URI: | https://pred.uni-regensburg.de/id/eprint/63504 |
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