Assessing the Needs of General Physicians Regarding Continuing Medical Education Program for National Tuberclusis Survillance System in Semnan 2012

The purpose of the study was to investigate knowledge and attitudes of general practitioners regarding the National Tuberculosis Program (NTP) in Semnan، Iran، in the year 1391. This study was descriptive-analytic in design and based on a census on all practicing general practitioners in Semnan in the year 1391. The data were collected using a self-developed questionnaire. The validity and reliability of the questionnaire were confirmed to be 81 percent by using Cronbach''s Alpha. The data then were analyzed by means of SPSS 16 software. Except for some of the findings of the study which were analyzed using statistical indices، the others were not satisfactory. The findings of the study indicated that in comparison to the female participants of the study، the male ones had better knowledge on (the question) Tuberculosis preventive measures (p=0. 005). As for the other questions of the study، no significant difference was observed. The findings also revealed that the practitioners in the age range between 33 and 40 and between 47 and 55 had better knowledge on the cases of potential Tuberculosis compared with other age ranges (P=0. 008). It was also discovered that the practitioners who enter university in the years between 68 and 75 had better knowledge on fundamental measures for curbing the spread of Tuberculosis than others (P=0. 006). Compared to the male participants of the current study، the male participants had a more positive attitude toward the statement، “Everybody living in the society is in potential danger of catching Tuberculosis،” (P=0. 018). There was no significant difference in the attitudes of the practitioners who entered university in different years toward the illness (P>0. 05). knowledge and attitudes of the general practitioners regarding protection from Tuberculosis are acceptable. The study، however، shows that the practitioners do not employ their knowledge in line with the pivots of the National Tuberculosis Program (NTP). This lack is obvious in the statement 9 of the main and pivotal function of the attitudes toward Tuberculosis. Therefore، revising and developing educational curriculum based on the needs of the practitioners in the areas of professional practice related to Tuberculosis protection systems in the courses before graduation and implementing continuous training programs and evaluation systems after graduation for updating the practitioners’ professional practice are recommended.