GENERAL-PRACTITIONERS - CHILD ACCIDENT PREVENTION AND THE HEALTH OF THE NATION

It has recently been suggested in the 'Health of the Nation' that spec ific accident prevention activities should be undertaken by general pr actitioners. This study reports the findings from a survey of general practitioners in Nottinghamshire assessing knowledge, attitudes and cu rrent practices in accident prevention. The findings suggest that more than two-thirds of responding general practitioners are aware of the extent of childhood mortality from accidental injuries and of the risk factors for accidental injury. Knowledge scores were higher for women , those aged 44 years and under, those on the child health surveillanc e list, those with experience of hospital or community paediatrics, an d those with postgraduate qualifications in paediatrics. More than 50% of general practitioners hold positive views towards the activities s uggested in the 'Health of the Nation' and more than 40% are already c arrying out such activities. Positive attitudes are more commonly held in women and those on the child health surveillance list. There was a significant correlation between knowledge score and attitude score. F or all accident prevention activities covered in the questionnaire, fe wer practitioners undertook an activity than held a positive attitude towards that activity. Accident prevention work is currently more like ly to be undertaken by general practitioners on an opportunistic basis than on a systematic population basis. If general practitioner interv ention is demonstrated to be effective, a shift towards a population a pproach may be more successful in reducing injury rates.