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Table 4 Associations between GP characteristics and their confidence in diagnosing and managing concussion (n = 66)

From: A cross-sectional study reporting concussion exposure, assessment and management in Western Australian general practice

GP characteristics

Confident in diagnosing

p-value#

Confident in managing

p-value#

No (n = 12)

Yes (n = 54)

No (n = 24)

Yes (n = 42)

Hours worked at GP, mean ± standard deviation

34.1 ± 8.8

31.5 ± 10.3

0.42

29.7 ± 7.6

33.2 ± 11.1

0.17

Age groups (years old), n (%)

  

0.86

   

-  ≤ 45

7 (58.3)

30 (55.6)

 

18 (75.0)

19 (45.2)

0.019

-  > 45

5 (41.7)

24 (44.4)

 

6 (25.0)

23 (54.8)

 

Location of GP practice, n (%)

  

0.99^

  

0.70

- Regional

3 (25.0)

12 (23.1)

 

5 (20.8)

10 (25.0)

 

- Metropolitan

9 (75.0)

40 (76.9)

 

19 (79.2)

30 (75.0)

 

Concussion diagnoses made/year, n (%)

  

0.021^

  

0.020

-  < 5

11 (91.7)

29 (53.7)

 

19 (79.2)

21 (50.0)

 

-  ≥ 5

1 (8.3)

25 (46.3)

 

5 (20.8)

21 (50.0)

 

Work outside sessional load, n (%)

  

0.31^

  

0.15

- No

10 (83.3)

35 (64.8)

 

19 (79.2)

26 (61.9)

 

- Yes

2 (16.7)

19 (35.2)

 

5 (20.8)

16 (38.1)

 

Ever heard of guidelines, n (%)

  

0.029^

  

0.081

- No

7 (58.3)

12 (22.2)

 

10 (41.7)

9 (21.4)

 

- Yes

5 (41.7)

42 (77.8)

 

14 (58.3)

33 (78.6)

 

Have a protocol for coding, n (%)

  

0.74^

  

0.38

- No

7 (63.6)

37 (68.5)

 

14 (60.9)

30 (71.4)

 

- Yes

4 (36.4)

17 (31.5)

 

9 (39.2)

12 (28.6)

 
  1. # Difference in mean hours worked between GPs who were confident in diagnosing concussion was assessed using independent-samples t-test. Associations between categorical demographic variables and confidence in diagnosing concussion were assessed using Chi-squared tests (or Fisher’s exact tests^ due to low number of expected frequencies). The same statistical approach was applied for confidence in managing concussion