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Drinking problems load health centre hospitals in Finland
A T Vehviläinen1, E A Kumpusalo, J K Takala
1Department of Community Health and General Practice, University of Kuopio, Finland. Arto.Vehvilainen@uku.fi
Scandinavian Journal of Public Health
|July 28, 1999
Summary
In 1994 Finland, common referrals from general practice to hospitals included alcohol abuse in younger males and vertigo in females. Older patients were most often referred for angina pectoris.
Area of Science:
- Primary Health Care Research
- Epidemiology
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Referral patterns from primary care to hospitals provide insights into healthcare needs and system efficiency.
- Understanding referral reasons is crucial for optimizing resource allocation and medical training.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the primary reasons for patient referrals from general practice to health centre hospitals in Finland.
- To analyze referral patterns based on patient demographics, general practitioner (GP) characteristics, and practice details.
Main Methods:
- Data collected from 806 general practitioners across central and northern Finland over a one-week period in 1994.
- Referral reasons were coded using the International Classification of Primary Care (ICPC).
- Analysis considered patient age, sex, and consultation type (out of hours vs. in hours).
Main Results:
- A total of 723 patients were referred from 53,633 consultations (1.4% referral rate).
- Alcohol abuse (males <65) and vertigo (females <65) were leading referral reasons in younger populations.
- Angina pectoris was the most frequent referral reason for patients aged 65 and over, regardless of sex.
Conclusions:
- Referral patterns highlight specific health concerns in different demographic groups, such as alcohol-related issues and cardiovascular conditions.
- Findings can inform primary healthcare development and guide general practitioner (GP) training programs.
- Further research is recommended on alcohol-related diseases among patients referred to health centre hospitals.