Improving General Practitioners' Knowledge Regarding Blood Pressure Measurement in Selected Cities of Pakistan Through Workshop

The objective of this study was to evaluate enhancement in the knowledge of general practitioners (GPs), from the urban cities in the province of Sindh, Pakistan, regarding blood pressure measurement through workshop. This was a quasi-experimental study that involved GPs from 5 cities of Sindh province, Pakistan. The GPs were required to complete a pretested self-administered questionnaire before and after the workshop session. The questionnaire included few demographic variables and 17 questions based on the American Heart Association recommendations. The mean pretest and posttest scores were compared using Student's t test. A total of 350 GPs returned completed questionnaires, with a preponderance of males (n = 264, 75.4%) than females (n = 86, 24.6%). The mean correct responses increased significantly after the workshop session from 8 +/- 2.1 to 14 +/- 2.5 (P = .01). The knowledge of GPs was almost doubled after the workshop and was significantly different for variables such as qualification, affiliation with teaching hospital, and number of years of practice (P = .001). This survey, a representation of GPs from the Sindh province, indicated a significant doubling in knowledge after the workshop, proving that continuing medical education sessions play an important role in increasing awareness and staying updated.