Relationship between physician characteristics and their injection use in Korea.

Objective: To determine the relationships among physicians' knowledge and beliefs, perceived patient demand and treatment with injection drugs in Korean primary care settings.

Design: A cross-sectional, nationwide survey.

Setting: A total of 644 clinics were selected from the 9660 clinics with more than 1000 patient visits from April 1 to June 30, 2004, among four specialties (general practice, internal medicine, otorhinolaryngology, family medicine) that dealt mainly with acute upper respiratory infections in primary care settings.

Participants: We surveyed one physician per clinic with a questionnaire investigating their knowledge and beliefs on and perceived patient demand for injections. Among the 644 physicians, the data of 608 were analysed after responses with incomplete data were excluded. The survey data were merged with their injection prescription rate for acute upper respiratory infections. Main outcome measure Prescription rate for injection drugs.

Results: The mean prescription rate for injection drugs per physician was 41.8%. Of respondents, 85.2% had faulty knowledge and beliefs about injection drugs, and 72.9% perceived a strong patient demand for injections. Older, male and generalist physicians had higher prescription rate. After controlling for physician and clinic characteristics, the prescription rates were significantly related with physicians' knowledge and beliefs on and perception of patient demand for injection drugs.

Conclusions: Physicians with faulty knowledge and beliefs on and a perception of strong patient demand for injection drugs had higher prescription rates. Some potential interventions are described to encourage primary care physicians to use injection drugs appropriately in South Korea.