Evaluation of a multi-component educational package for GP registrars in improving guideline compliance for prescription of benzodiazepines and related drugs in general practice: a pragmatic evaluation employing a non-equivalent control group design, nested within an ongoing cohort study.
This project aims to develop and test the efficacy of an educational intervention designed to reduce prescription of benzodiazepine and related drugs (hereafter, ‘benzodiazepines’), informed by a theoretical approach and current evidence around interventions to influence clinician behaviour.
The educational/training package is confined to GP Synergy but in the primary evaluation utilizes ReCEnT data from GP Synergy, and Eastern Victoria General Practice Training (EVGP) and General Practice Training Tasmania (GPTT) as control sites.
An education intervention was delivered during a session at a routinely-scheduled educational workshop at GP Synergy.
For the analysis using ReCEnT study data: the intervention group will consist of GP Synergy registrars in Terms 1 and 2 of their vocational training program. The comparator group from EVGP and GPTT are also Term 1 and 2 GP registrars.
For the questionnaire-based study: Participants will be registrars in Terms 1 and 2 of their vocational training program at one RTO (GP Synergy).
For the qualitative study: participants will be registrars in Terms 1 and 2 of their vocational training program at one RTO (GP Synergy) and supervisors of GP Synergy registrars.
This project is a pragmatic non-randomized trial employing a non-equivalent control group design, nested within an ongoing cohort study, the ReCEnT Study.
Project element 1
Components of the educational intervention include:
- a 40-min face-to-face registrar education session at the FUSION Workshop
- registrar and supervisor pre-workshop readings
- supervisor webinar
- an optional joint GP registrar-supervisor education activity for each registrar-supervisor dyad to use in their regular weekly one-on-one teaching meetings.
Comparator group of registrars at GPTT and EVGP will receive ‘usual education’ during the study period.
Project element 2
Quantitative evaluation of change in intervention group GP registrars’ attitudes and knowledge regarding benzodiazepine deprescribing, as measured by pre- and post-questionnaire responses to clinical vignettes.
Project element 3
Qualitative evaluation of intervention group GP registrars’ and supervisors’ experience of educational intervention.
The project is a collaboration with investigators from University of Queensland.
