[Attitudes of primary care professionals in Madrid in relation to work with groups]

To learn about attitudes of health professionals with regard to work with groups in primary care.

Qualitative-structural research.

Autonomous Community of Madrid.

General practicioners, pediatricians, specialists in family and community medicine, nurses, and social workers.

4 discussion groups and 4 open interviews.

3 positions were identified in these professionals: the "convinced," mainly social workers, followed by nurses and some doctors (more often the family/community specialists than the GPs), who "believe" in groups; the "sceptics," mostly doctors and some nurses, who defend a basically clinical-care model; and the "convincibles," clearly the largest group, made up of doctors and nurses who, given a series of favourable conditions, would be prepared to make groups.

The development of health education groups in primary care in Madrid is conditioned by the scepticism of professionals.