The General Practitioner and the Family: A Study of the Use of General Practitioners' Services by Families with Children

Abstract

The extent of the GP's contact with families with children, and the influence of family characteristics upon the utilization of health care have been registered. Seventy-one families in a rural district in Norway were followed for two and a half years. On average, the GP had approximately one contact per month with one member of each family. Demographic family data, such as age or number of children, were not found to be of great significance for the number of contacts. Children's encounters with the GPs correlated with those of the mothers, but not with those of the fathers. The most important factors influencing the families' use of health services were the prevalence of chronic illness, psychological stability in parents, and the occurrence of changes in family composition. The gains from approaching the family as a unit are discussed.

Key Words:

• family medicine
• family interaction
• psychosocial factors
• health care consumption