Research agenda in respiratory diseases in primary care in Portugal: a Delphi study

Abstract

Aim: Respiratory diseases are significant in Primary Care, therefore research in this area is important. In 2010, the International Primary Care Respiratory Group (IPCRG) published the Research Needs Statement (RNS), in which 145 research questions were identified. In 2012, the prioritisation of the respiratory research needs was published. The aim of the study was to develop a national research consensus in Respiratory Diseases in Primary Care in Portugal and to assess the applicability, in Portugal, of the prioritisation of respiratory research needs in Primary Health Care conducted by IPCRG. Method: To achieve consensus we used an e-mail Delphi study, with the participation of a panel of primary and secondary care experts on RD. There were 3 Rounds. In Round 1, the research needs in RD in Portugal were identified. In Round 2, 196 research questions (Round 1 and RNS) in six disease areas were prioritised (scale 1 to 5).The questions were submitted to a new prioritisation, in Round 3, with feed-back information of the median of the answers from the group. The consensus was considered as reached when 80% agreement was reached with scores 4 or 5. Results: The 40 experts identified 121 questions (Round 1) and expressed their views in 196 questions (Rounds 2 and 3). 12 questions (6%) reached a consensus: 5 questions on the‘Asthma’domain (early diagnosis, pulmonary function tests, use of inhalers and medication adherence); 4 questions on the‘Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease’ domain (vaccinations, routine monitoring and evaluation of treatment, diagnosis and dherence to maintenance treatments); 1 question on the‘Smoking’domain (short counselling) and 2 on‘Respiratory Tract Infections’ the domain (treatment of children and antibiotics prescription). Furthermore, 23 questions (12%) were identified with a threshold between 75 and 79%. Conclusion: The results reflect the particularities of Portuguese reality in face of the International Agenda published by the IPCRG, and can therefore support the development of future respiratory research in Portugal