Data collection

Once each of the department heads and the different physicians concerned had given their oral agreement to take part in the study after written information, an initial questionnaire folder (containing the WBQ and FABQ) was sent by email or by post to each of the physicians drawn by randomization. Upon inclusion, demographic data were collected from the physicians (gender, age, place of practice, and length of time in practice) as was any personal or family history of neck pain or whiplash-associated disorders. The physicians were also asked how often they encountered cases of whiplash-associated disorders.

Information about knowledge of whiplash-associated disorders was also sought. This information included continuing medical training or recent reading (within the previous 3 years), and in particular knowledge, of the different severity grades established by the Quebec Task Force on Whiplash-Associated Disorders classification [7], the radiologic recommendations of the Canadian C-Spine Rule [19], and finally the latest HAS recommendation on physical therapy in post-whiplash–associated disorders [21].

Once the first questionnaire folder had been completed, a second folder was then sent to all physicians participating in the study. The intervention group was instructed to complete the questionnaires at least 48 hours after the intervention, that is, after reading The Whiplash Book. The same items were included as in the initial folder, with an additional questionnaire enabling the intervention group to qualitatively assess the book based on a numerical scale from 0 to 10. If there was no response, reminders were sent by email, then by telephone, and finally by post. The delay between two questionnaires was identical for both intervention and control groups (at least 48 hours).