ATTITUDES OF GENERAL-PRACTITIONERS TO SCREENING FOR CYSTIC-FIBROSIS

Objective-To ascertain the views of general practitioners (GPs) about screening for cystic fibrosis. To find out whether and under what cond itions they might play a part in the delivery of such programmes. Sett ing-Al GP practices within the Lothian Health Board area. Methods-A se lf administered questionnaire was sent to each of the 532 GPs in the a rea. Results-334 (63%) GPs participated in the study. Only 23% of thes e claimed to have no professional or personal experience of the disord er. 77% of GPs were aware of the existence of a programme of antenatal screening for cystic fibrosis (CF), which had been running in Edinbur gh for the past six years, with only 2% unfavourably disposed to it. H owever, when asked to rank CF screening against antenatal screening fo r spina bifida and Down's syndrome, or cervical and breast screening, 55% gave it the lowest priority. There was fairly equal support for th e screening site being an antenatal clinic, a genetic centre, a family planning clinic, or a GP surgery, but little enthusiasm for programme s in schools or the workplace. Surprisingly, only 13% of GPs thought t hat screening should be offered to those with a negative family histor y of the disorder. Although the idea of involvement in screening was f avoured, GPs claimed that any aspect of delivery that they undertook w ould need to be supported. There were no significant differences betwe en the responses of fundholding GPs and nonfundholders Conclusions-The low ranking by GPs of CF screening against other programmes, together with the need for support if they were to be involved, suggests that it is currently impractical to move the programme from its existing si te in antenatal clinics.