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BACKGROUND: Demand for general practice in the UK is higher than supply. Some patients seek appointments with GPs for minor illnesses rather than self-care. AIM: To identify the characteristics of people with a tendency to contact GPs rather than self-care. DESIGN from black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities (OR 2.1, 95% CI = 1.5 to 3.0); feeling overwhelmed by unexpected health problems (OR 1.4, 95% CI = 0.99 to 2.1); lower health literacy (OR 1.2, 95% CI = 1.0 to 1.4); and believing that general practice is not overused (OR 1.3, 95% CI = 1.1 to 1.7). CONCLUSION: Type of symptom, personal characteristics, and population beliefs about general practice utilisation explain the tendency to contact GPs for minor illness amenable to self-care.
O’Cathain et al. (Wed,) studied this question.
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