The contribution of demographic and morbidity factors to self-reported visit frequency of patients: a cross-sectional study of general practice patients in Australia

Knox, SA; Britt, H

The contribution of demographic and morbidity factors to self-reported visit frequency of patients: a cross-sectional study of general practice patients in Australia

Knox, SA Britt, H

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Publisher:: BioMed Central Ltd.
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: BMC Family Practice, 2004, 5:17 pp. 1 - 7
Issue Date:: 2004-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Knox, SA	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Britt, H	en_US
dc.date.issued	2004-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	BMC Family Practice, 2004, 5:17 pp. 1 - 7	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	1471-2296	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/9707
dc.description.abstract	Background Understanding the factors that affect patients' utilisation of health services is important for health service provision and effective patient management. This study aimed to investigate the specific morbidity and demographic factors related to the frequency with which general practice patients visit a general practitioner/family physician (GP) in Australia. Methods A sub-study was undertaken as part of an ongoing national study of general practice activity in Australia. A cluster sample of 10,755 general practice patients were surveyed through a random sample of 379 general practitioners. The patient reported the number of times he/she had visited a general practitioner in the previous twelve months. The GP recorded all the patient's major health problems, including those managed at the current consultation. Results Patients reported an average of 8.8 visits to a general practitioner per year. After adjusting for other patient demographics and number of health problems, concession health care card holders made on average 2.6 more visits per year to a general practitioner than did non-card holders (p < .001). After adjustment, patients from remote/very remote locations made 2.3 fewer visits per year than patients from locations where services were highly accessible (p < .001). After adjustment for patient demographics, patients with diagnosed anxiety made on average 2.7 more visits per year (p = 0.003), those with diagnosed depression 2.2 more visits than average (p < .0001), and those with back problems 2.4 more visits (p = 0.009) than patients without the respective disorders.	en_US
dc.publisher	BioMed Central Ltd.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	BMC Family Practice	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Public Health	en_US
dc.title	The contribution of demographic and morbidity factors to self-reported visit frequency of patients: a cross-sectional study of general practice patients in Australia	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	5:17	en_US
utslib.for	111799 Public Health and Health Services not elsewhere classified	en_US
utslib.for	1117 Public Health and Health Services	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Business
utslib.copyright.status	open_access
pubs.consider-herdc	false	en_US
pubs.volume	5:17	en_US

Abstract:

Background Understanding the factors that affect patients' utilisation of health services is important for health service provision and effective patient management. This study aimed to investigate the specific morbidity and demographic factors related to the frequency with which general practice patients visit a general practitioner/family physician (GP) in Australia. Methods A sub-study was undertaken as part of an ongoing national study of general practice activity in Australia. A cluster sample of 10,755 general practice patients were surveyed through a random sample of 379 general practitioners. The patient reported the number of times he/she had visited a general practitioner in the previous twelve months. The GP recorded all the patient's major health problems, including those managed at the current consultation. Results Patients reported an average of 8.8 visits to a general practitioner per year. After adjusting for other patient demographics and number of health problems, concession health care card holders made on average 2.6 more visits per year to a general practitioner than did non-card holders (p < .001). After adjustment, patients from remote/very remote locations made 2.3 fewer visits per year than patients from locations where services were highly accessible (p < .001). After adjustment for patient demographics, patients with diagnosed anxiety made on average 2.7 more visits per year (p = 0.003), those with diagnosed depression 2.2 more visits than average (p < .0001), and those with back problems 2.4 more visits (p = 0.009) than patients without the respective disorders.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/9707