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Prevalence and predictors of having no general practitioner - analysis of the German health interview and examination survey for adults (DEGS1).

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:Although patients in Germany are generally free to choose their primary healthcare provider, this role should mainly be assumed by general practitioners (GPs). While some predictors of the frequency of use of GP services have been reported in international studies, there is still a lack in knowledge what could deter people from contacting a GP in Germany. To improve healthcare, it is important to identify characteristics of people without a GP. METHODS:This cross-sectional analysis was based on the first wave of the "German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Adults" (DEGS1) conducted by the Robert Koch Institute in 2008-2011. Descriptive analyses and multiple logistic regression by gender were performed to analyze the association between having no GP and age, gender, residential area, socioeconomic status (SES), marital status, working hours per week, general state of health, chronic diseases and health insurance. RESULTS:Overall, 9.5% (95% confidence interval (CI): 8.4-10.7) of the 7755 participants stated to have no GP, more often men (11.4%) than women (7.6%). Life in urban areas (big cities vs. rural: adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 2.9, 95% CI: 2.1-3.9), younger age (18-29 years vs. 65-79 years: aOR: 4.4, 95% CI: 2.5-7.7) and the presence of chronic diseases (yes vs. no: aOR: 0.4, 95% CI: 0.3-0.6) showed significant associations of not having a GP. For men, the type of health insurance (private vs. statutory: aOR: 2.1, 95% CI: 1.5-3.0; other vs. statutory: aOR: 2.1, 95% CI: 1.4-3.1) and for women, SES (low vs. medium: aOR: 1.8, 95% CI: 1.2-2.7; high vs. medium: aOR: 2.1, 95% CI: 1.4-3.0) increased the risk of having no GP. CONCLUSIONS:Our analysis offers new insights into the use of GPs in Germany and revealed differences between men and women. Public health strategies regarding access to a GP have to focus on men and on women with a low SES. Further analyses are needed to determine whether men with private health insurance prefer to consult a specialist rather than a GP. For young adults, improving the transition process from a pediatrician to a GP could fill a gap in health care.

SUBMITTER: Tillmann J

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6570899 | biostudies-other | 2019 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

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Prevalence and predictors of having no general practitioner - analysis of the German health interview and examination survey for adults (DEGS1).

Tillmann Judith J Puth Marie-Therese MT Weckbecker Klaus K Klaschik Manuela M Münster Eva E

BMC family practice 20190615 1

<h4>Background</h4>Although patients in Germany are generally free to choose their primary healthcare provider, this role should mainly be assumed by general practitioners (GPs). While some predictors of the frequency of use of GP services have been reported in international studies, there is still a lack in knowledge what could deter people from contacting a GP in Germany. To improve healthcare, it is important to identify characteristics of people without a GP.<h4>Methods</h4>This cross-sectio ...[more]

PMID: 31202263

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Project description:Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is an established predictor of adverse health outcomes. The aim of this study is to investigate potential behavioral, interpersonal and socioeconomic correlates of CRF among men and women living in Germany using data from a population-based nationwide cross-sectional study. 1,439 men and 1,486 women aged 18-64 participated in the German Health Interview and Examination Survey (2008-2011) and completed a standardized sub-maximal cycle ergometer test. Maximal oxygen consumption ([Formula: see text]) in ml·min-1·kg-1 was estimated. Mean values of VO2max for various anthropometric, behavioral, interpersonal, and sociodemographic variables were estimated. Linear regression analyses using multiple imputations technique for missing values was performed to analyze the influence of potential correlates on CRF. Women with high alcohol consumption had higher [Formula: see text], (??=?2.20; 95% CI 0.98 to 3.42) than women with low alcohol consumption and women with high occupational status had higher [Formula: see text] (??=?1.83; 95% CI 0.21 to 3.44) in comparison to women with low occupational status. Among men, high fruit intake (??=?1.52; 95% CI 0.63 to 2.40), compared to low or medium fruit intake and performing at least 2.5?hours of total PA per week (??=?2.19; 95% CI 1.11 to 3.28), compared to less than 2.5?hours was associated with higher [Formula: see text]. Among both men and women, lower body mass index, lower waist circumference and higher levels of physical exercise were considerably associated with higher [Formula: see text]. Among women, those in higher age groups showed a considerably lower level of [Formula: see text] compared with those aged 18-24. Furthermore, mean estimated [Formula: see text] was higher among men (36.5; 95% CI 36.0 to 37.0) than among women (30.3; 95% CI 29.8 to 30.7). Despite the cross-sectional nature of the current study, we conclude that several behavioral, anthropometric, and sociodemographic factors are associated with CRF in the general adult population in Germany. These results can provide evidence to tailor prevention measures according to the needs of specific subgroups.

Project description:BACKGROUND: We investigated the associations between education and leisure-time, occupational, sedentary and total physical-activity levels based on data from the German National Health Interview and Examination Survey 1998 (GNHIES98). The roles of income level, occupational status and other mediating variables for these associations were also examined. METHODS: The total study sample of the GNHIES98 comprised 7,124 participants between the ages of 18 and 79. Complete information was available for 6,800 persons on leisure-time, sedentary and total physical-activity outcomes and for 3,809 persons in regular employment on occupational activity outcomes. The associations between educational level and physical activity (occupational, sedentary, leisure-time and total physical activity) were analysed separately for men and women using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Odds ratios (OR) of educational level on physical-activity outcomes were calculated and adjusted for age, region, occupation, income and other mediating variables. RESULTS: After adjusting for age and region, a higher education level was associated with more leisure-time activity - with an OR of 1.6 (95% CI, 1.3-2.0) for men with secondary education and 2.1 (1.7-2.7) for men with tertiary education compared to men with primary education. The corresponding ORs for women were 1.3 (1.1-1.6) and 1.7 (1.2-2.4), respectively. Higher education was associated with a lower level of vigorous work activity: an OR of 6.9 (4.6-10.3) for men with secondary education and 18.6 (12.0-27.3) for men with primary education compared to men with tertiary education. The corresponding ORs for women were 2.8 (2.0-4.0) and 5.8 (4.0-8.5), respectively. Higher education was also associated with a lower level of total activity: an OR of 2.9 (2.2-3.8) for men with secondary education and 4.3 (3.3-5.6) for men with tertiary education compared to men with primary education. The corresponding ORs for women were 1.6 (1.2-2.0) and 1.6 (1.2-2.1), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In Germany adults with a lower level of education are more physically active, both at work and overall, compared to adults with a higher education level, although they are less physically active in their leisure time. Higher work-related activity levels among adults with lower education may explain why they are less active in their leisure time.

Project description:Background and aimsAdvice from a general practitioner (GP) can encourage smokers to quit. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence and correlates of receipt of GP advice on smoking, what type of advice and support was offered and characteristics and quitting activity associated with different types of advice.Design/settingData were collected between 2016 and 2019 in a series of monthly cross-sectional surveys of representative samples of the adult population in England.ParticipantsA total of 11 588 past-year smokers.MeasurementsParticipants reported whether they had received advice or offer of support for smoking cessation from their GP in the last year. Socio-demographic and behavioural characteristics and past-year quit attempts and cessation were also recorded.FindingsOne in two [47.2%, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 46.1-48.3%] past-year smokers who reported visiting their GP in the last year recalled receiving advice on smoking, and one in three (30.1%, 95% CI = 29.1-31.1%) reported being offered cessation support. The most common form of support offered was stop smoking services (16.5%, 95% CI = 15.7-17.3%) followed by prescription medication (8.1%, 95% CI = 7.5-8.7%); 3.7% (95% CI = 3.3-4.1%) reported having been recommended to use e-cigarettes. Smokers who were older, non-white, more addicted, and smoked five or more cigarettes/day had consistently higher odds of receiving advice or support. There were some differences by region, housing tenure, presence of children in the home and high-risk drinking in the types of advice/support received. There were no significant differences by sex, occupational social grade, disability, type of cigarettes smoked, or survey year. Advice with any offer of support was associated with higher odds of attempting to quit than advice alone [adjusted odds ratio (ORadj ) = 1.52, 95% CI = 1.30-1.76]. Advice alone was associated with higher odds of quit attempts than no advice in smokers with higher (ORadj = 1.34, 95% CI = 1.10-1.64) but not lower occupational social grade (ORadj = 0.90, 95% CI = 0.75-1.08).ConclusionsIn England, a minority of smokers receive support from their GP to stop smoking. Those who do are more likely to be older, non-white and more addicted to cigarettes. Advice plus offer of support appears to be associated with increased odds of making a quit attempt, while advice without offer of support appears only to be associated with increased odds of making a quit attempt in higher occupational social grade smokers.

Dataset Information

Prevalence and predictors of having no general practitioner - analysis of the German health interview and examination survey for adults (DEGS1).

Publications

Prevalence and predictors of having no general practitioner - analysis of the German health interview and examination survey for adults (DEGS1).

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