[The general practitioner and the unemployed]

Unemployment has increased in Norway during the last years. In order to study the impact of unemployment on primary health care in Hedmark county, a questionnaire was sent to 132 general practitioners. 70% replied. Some of the questions dealt with the doctors' requests for social security benefits for patients whose problems were related to loss of job. During one week 30% of the doctors had written this kind of sickness certificate. Further, during one month, 35% had recommended rehabilitation or disability pension. During the last year, 26% of the doctors had received requests activity proposing sickness certification for some of their employees from companies that were forced to reduce activity. The author discusses these results, and outlines the possible consequences for patient, doctor and the social security system.