People living with psychotic illness 2010

Appendix 17. Consultations in general medical practices

Page last updated: November 2011

Appendix table 17-1 shows the number of visits made to general practitioners in the year from April 2009 to March 2010 by all participants.

Most survey participants who had a general practitioner (95.6%) gave consent for their practitioner to supply further information on the health care they had provided to the participant over the past year.

Information was returned by general practitioners for half (49.2%) of the consenting participants (representing 39.7% of the total sample). Of these, 97.9% had consulted their general practitioner in the previous year.

Appendix table 17-2, appendix table 17-3, appendix table 17-4 and appendix table 17-5 are based on the data for these 'participant-patients'. In this subsample, 55.9% of participants were male and 37.9% were aged 18-34 years.

Appendix Table 17-1. Visits to general practitioner in past year

MalesFemales18-34 years35-64 yearsPersons
Mean
8
10
8
10
9
Median
5
6
5
6
5

Appendix Table 17-2. General practitioner subsample: Visits to general practitioner by participant-patients in past year

MalesFemales18-34 years35-64 yearsPersons
Mean
11
12
10
13
12
Median
8
10
7
11
9

Appendix Table 17-3. General practitioner subsample: Reasons for consultation with general practitioner in past year

Reason for consultationMales
(%)		Females
(%)		18-34 years
(%)		35-64 years
(%)		Persons
(%)
Prescription (new or repeat)
66.7
71.6
62.8
72.5
68.8
Blood tests
52.0
53.7
41.3
59.8
52.8
Other physical health problems
43.9
47.6
38.3
50.0
45.6
Review of psychotic symptoms
39.6
45.0
41.3
42.5
42.0
General check up
35.1
35.5
25.3
41.4
35.3
Blood pressure and/or cardiovascular check
37.9
31.3
21.9
43.0
35.0
Depression
22.7
42.2
28.6
33.0
31.3
Anxiety
24.2
38.0
26.8
32.5
30.3
Weight gain and/or diet
26.5
32.3
27.9
29.8
29.1
Sleep disturbance
17.7
27.2
20.1
23.0
21.9
Respiratory problems
19.7
24.0
17.5
24.1
21.6
Influenza injection
20.7
19.8
13.4
24.5
20.3
Other psychological symptoms
14.6
23.6
19.7
18.0
18.6
Drug and/or alcohol problem
18.4
12.8
18.6
14.3
15.9
Medical certificate or form
13.1
13.7
16.4
11.6
13.4
Sexual/reproductive health issues
6.3
22.4
16.4
11.6
13.4
Depot medication
12.9
9.3
11.5
11.1
11.3
Diabetes
11.9
10.2
4.5
15.2
11.1
Other
10.6
7.7
10.4
8.6
9.3

Appendix Table 17-4. General practitioner subsample: Management of specified physical conditions by general practitioner in past year

Management of specified physical conditionMales
(%)		Females
(%)		18-34 years
(%)		35-64 years
(%)		Persons
(%)
Provide treatment to participant for metabolic, cardiovascular or kidney conditions
33.1
31.0
21.9
38.4
32.2
Referred participant to specialist for metabolic, cardiovascular or kidney conditions
10.9
12.1
8.2
13.4
11.4

Appendix Table 17-5. General practitioner subsample: General practitioner mental health care plan in past year

Males (%)Females (%)18-34 years (%)35-64 years (%)Persons (%)
General practitioner mental health care plan (proportion)23.033.525.329.127.6
Frequency of plan reviews (proportion of those with a mental health care plan):
No set time for review25.319.026.519.521.9
Monthly6.66.72.98.66.6
Every 3 months16.521.922.118.019.4
Every 6 months26.431.426.530.529.1
Annually14.312.414.712.513.3
Other6.65.75.96.36.1
Missing4.4 2.9 1.5 4.7 3.6
Total Respondents [9110568128196