Centre for Policy on Ageing



Socioeconomic differences in general practice consultation rates in patients aged 65 and over — prospective cohort study
Author(s)	Rosie McNiece, Azeem Majeed
Journal title	British Medical Journal, vol 319, no 7201, 3 July 1999
Pages	pp 26-28
Keywords	Consultation ; General practice ; Social class ; Living patterns ; Social surveys.
Annotation	Secondary analysis of data for 71,984 people aged 65+ and 60 general practices from the fourth national survey of morbidity in general practice (September 1991 to August 1992) indicates social class differences in GP consultation rates to be highest in the 65-74 age group, with rates for class V 23% higher than for Class I. Contact rates were 17% higher in people living in communal establishments, and 8% higher for those living alone than those living with others but not in a communal establishment. 66% of contacts with patients in communal establishments and 26% of those with patients living alone were in patients' homes, compared with 18% for those living in standard accommodation. The study also confirms that socioeconomic differences in the use of GP services identified in younger patients persist into later life. The extra workload generated by older people living alone and in communal establishments suggests additional payments to GPs are needed. (RH).
Accession Number	CPA-021114002 A
Classmark	LK6: L5: T: K7: 3F *
Data © Centre for Policy on Ageing

...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing.