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Mental health and medical consultation in primary care settings

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

J. L. Vázquez-Barquero ,
G. Wilkinson ,
P. Williams ,
J. F. Diez-Manrique  and
C. Peña
J. L. Vázquez-Barquero*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, National Hospital Valdecilla, Cantabria Medical School, University of Cantabria, Santander, Spain; General Practice Research Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, London and Academic Subdepartment of Psychological Medicine, North Wales Hospital, Denbigh
G. Wilkinson
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, National Hospital Valdecilla, Cantabria Medical School, University of Cantabria, Santander, Spain; General Practice Research Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, London and Academic Subdepartment of Psychological Medicine, North Wales Hospital, Denbigh
P. Williams
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, National Hospital Valdecilla, Cantabria Medical School, University of Cantabria, Santander, Spain; General Practice Research Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, London and Academic Subdepartment of Psychological Medicine, North Wales Hospital, Denbigh
J. F. Diez-Manrique
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, National Hospital Valdecilla, Cantabria Medical School, University of Cantabria, Santander, Spain; General Practice Research Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, London and Academic Subdepartment of Psychological Medicine, North Wales Hospital, Denbigh
C. Peña
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, National Hospital Valdecilla, Cantabria Medical School, University of Cantabria, Santander, Spain; General Practice Research Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, London and Academic Subdepartment of Psychological Medicine, North Wales Hospital, Denbigh
*
1Address for correspondence: Professor J. L. Vázquez-Barquero, Servicio de Psiquiatria, Hospital Nacional Valdecilla, Facultad de Medicina, Santander 39008, Spain.
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Synopsis

This paper examines the effect of psychiatric morbidity, as measured by the GHQ-60, on the probability of being in contact with a primary care physician, and the socio-demographic factors which influenced this effect. We found that the presence of psychiatric morbidity emerged as a major determinant of primary care utilization in both sexes, and about one-sixth of consultations in men and one-fifth of consultations in women could be attributed to it. Logistic modelling was used to investigate the joint effect on general practitioner consultation of psychiatric morbidity and seven socio-demographic variables. Sex, age, and psychiatric morbidity exerted independent, but not interactive, effects on consultation.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 20 , Issue 3 , August 1990 , pp. 681 - 694
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1990

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