Primary care workload and prescribing costs in children The impact of respiratory symptoms

Abstract

Aim:To examine the relationship between responses to a respiratory questionnaire and primary healthcare utilisation in children. Method: A stratified random sample of 713 children was selected from respondents to a postal respiratory questionnaire carried out in two general practice populations in 1993. Children were stratified into four groups according to the number of positive responses to five key questions. These groups were used as indicators of likelihood of asthma diagnosis. A search was made of the children's records covering a two-year period which included home visits, surgery consultations and prescribed medications.

The Impact of Respiratory Symptoms on Healthcare Utilisation: The Primary and Secondary Care Interface

“…These data illustrate that most care for asthma occurs within the primary sector 3,11 and that few adults with asthma utilise secondary care as has been shown for children. 12 The method makes use of a simple, cheap and readily completed questionnaire (as evidenced by the high response rate) which can be translated and is based on one already in use world-wide. 7 A further advantage that this method considers reported symptoms rather than recorded diagnosis, enabling consideration of healthcare utilisation of the affected adult population.…”

“…Although the data relate to health care utilisation between 1993 and 1995; they provide a basic framework for calculation of the economic cost of service utilisation. 13 Unmet need has further economic implications when disability due to symptoms is considered. This investigation will be extended to establish the financial burden of respiratory healthcare and the effect of respiratory symptoms on health-related quality of life.…”

Childhood asthma: healthcare resource utilisation in those with and without a diagnosis of the condition

“…22 Earlier work examined possible response bias to the postal questionnaire in this population; no important differences were found. 23 The sample was designed to ''enrich'' the sample in favour of those likely to have asthma compared to the distribution in the general population. Due to available resources, only a finite number of GP records could be examined.…”