Current Practice of Children With Primary Hypertension: A Survey of Pediatricians in Thailand

Abstract

Background: Being able to detect, assess, and manage children with primary hypertension is one of the requirements of the Thai pediatric residency training curriculum. The present study aimed to survey the practice of pediatric primary hypertension care by Thai pediatricians. Materials and Methods: Participants’ demographic information, educational background, and practice, including diagnosis, investigation, and treatment in children with primary hypertension at an outpatient setting, were all included in the surveys and were distributed to pediatric residents, general pediatricians, and pediatric subspecialists in Thailand using the online survey. The results were defined as appropriate answers if they were aligned with the guidelines recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Results: 342 (79 males) with a mean age of 37.6 years and a mean duration since residency training of 10.4 years were included. The proportion of participants who answered appropriately was 188 (55%), 190 (55.6%), and 169 (49.4%) in the diagnosis, investigation, and treatment parts, respectively. However, only 43 (12.6%) participants could answer appropriately for all 3 parts. Compared to the inappropriate group, experience in diagnosis was higher in the appropriate group (44.2% vs 28.4%, P-value = 0.036), but the duration since residency training < 5 years and being a nephrologist were not different between the 2 groups (41.9% vs 43.5%, P = .849 and 7 vs 6%, P = .807, respectively). Conclusions: Experience in diagnosis, rather than the duration after the residency training or being a nephrologist, had a favorable impact on the appropriate practices of children with primary hypertension among Thai pediatricians.