This report highlights changes in general practice activity over the decade from April 2005 to March 2015 measured by the University of Sydney’s BEACH program, a continuous study of general practice activity in Australia. Over this time, 9,773 general practitioners (GPs) provided details of 977,300 GP–patient encounters. The report highlights changes over the decade in the characteristics of GPs and the patients they see, the problems managed and the treatments provided. Changes in prevalence of measured risk factors (overweight, obesity, smoking and at-risk alcohol use) are described for sub-samples of more than 30,000 adult patients each year. Changes in the prevalence of overweight and obesity over the decade are also described for annual sub-samples of more than 2,500 children aged 2–17 years.
This report is a companion to the annual report General Practice Activity in Australia 2014–15.
Table of Contents:
List of tables
List of figures
Summary
1. Introduction
2. Methods
3. The samples
4. The participating GPs
5. The encounters
6. The patients
7. Problems managed
8. Overview of management
9. Medications
10. Other treatments
11. Referrals and admissions
12. Investigations
13. Patient risk factors
References
Abbreviations
Symbols
Glossary
Appendix 1: example of a 2014–15 recording form
Appendix 2: GP characteristics questionnaire, 2014–15
Appendix 3: patient information card, 2014–15
Appendix 4: code groups from ICPC-2 and ICPC-2 PLUS
About the Author :
Helena Britt is a professor of primary care research at the University of Sydney.
Graeme C. Miller is an associate professor and Medical Director of the Family Medicine Research Centre at the University of Sydney.
Joan Henderson is the Deputy Director of the Family Medicine Research Centre at the University of Sydney.
Clare Bayram is a research fellow at the Family Medicine Research Centre at the University of Sydney and project manager of the BEACH program.
Lisa Valenti is a senior research analyst for the Family Medicine Research Centre at the University of Sydney.
Christopher Harrison is a senior research analyst for the Family Medicine Research Centre at the University of Sydney.
Ying Pan is a senior research analyst for the Family Medicine Research Centre at the University of Sydney.
Carmen Zhang is a research officer at the Family Medicine Research Centre at the University of Sydney.
Janice Charles is a senior research officer at the Family Medicine Research Centre at the University of Sydney.
Julie Gordon (née O'Halloran) is a research fellow at the Family Medicine Research Centre at the University of Sydney.
Allan J. Pollack is a research analyst for the Family Medicine Research Centre at the University of Sydney.
Timothy Chambers is the IT Manager for the Family Medicine Research Centre at the University of Sydney.
