Journal article
The Effect of a Group Practice on Rural Health Attitudes and Behavior
Medical care, Vol.18(1), pp.44-58
01/1980
DOI: 10.1097/00005650-198001000-00004
PMID: 7354673
Abstract
The opportunity to join a group practice has been identified as a successful inducement for physicians to locate in rural areas. Less is known of the effects of group practice on the health attitudes, behavior and status of the rural communities in which they are established.A random survey of households was conducted in 1972 in a rural Midwestern area, prior to the establishment of a community-sponsored multispecialty primary care group practice, and again on the same households in 1977, after establishment of this group practice (a total of 292 households representing 829 persons).Perceived access to health services before the establishment of the group practice did not significantly predict use of the group practice. Neither previous use of medical services nor health status measured by several indices was associated with eventual use of the group practice.The apparent impact on the community of the group practice was a significant improvement in access to physician services, shown by shorter average travel time to the place of primary care and a 62 per cent improvement in the ability to make a same-day appointment. Furthermore, a significant shift in the distribution of physician services was noted over the study period. The introduction of physician assistants significantly decreased the prior positive attitudes toward them. Despite improvement in access to care, no changes in population health status or receipt of preventive services were noted.Current users of the group practice appear similar to those utilizing conventional medical care sources in regard to access to services, use of services, as well as health status, attitudes and costs.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- The Effect of a Group Practice on Rural Health Attitudes and Behavior
- Creators
- Charles Yesalis - Assistant Professor, Department of Preventive Medicine and Environmental Health, College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City †Professor, Department of Preventive Medicine and Environmental Health, College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City ‡Associate Professor, Department of Preventive Medicine and Environmental Health, College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City §Research Assistant, Department of Preventive Medicine and Environmental Health, College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa CityRobert WallaceLeon BurmeisterWayne Fisher
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Medical care, Vol.18(1), pp.44-58
- DOI
- 10.1097/00005650-198001000-00004
- PMID
- 7354673
- NLM abbreviation
- Med Care
- ISSN
- 0025-7079
- eISSN
- 1537-1948
- Publisher
- Lippincott-Raven Publishers
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 01/1980
- Academic Unit
- Epidemiology; Injury Prevention Research Center; Internal Medicine
- Record Identifier
- 9984363617902771
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