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The influence of minor psychiatric morbidity on consulting rates to general practitioners

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

P. W. Burvill  and
M. W. Knuiman
P. W. Burvill*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Science, Department of Mathematics, University of Western Australia
M. W. Knuiman
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Science, Department of Mathematics, University of Western Australia
*
1Address for correspondence: Associate Professor P. W. Burvill, University Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Science, Kirkman House, 10 Murray Street, Perth, W.A. 6000, Australia.
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Synopsis

The presence and severity of Minor Psychiatric Morbidity (MPM) as measured by the 60-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), and being female rather than male, increases the consulting rate of people in the community to their general practitioner. The rate of increase of consulting decreases as the severity of MPM increases. There is an interaction between age and MPM, giving progressively increased consulting rates in the older age groups in males but not females. The possibility of a biological difference between males and females in the interaction of MPM and physical, and of age and physical illness, is raised.

Type
Research Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 13 , Issue 3 , August 1983 , pp. 635 - 643
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1983

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