Use of blood tests in general practice: a collaborative study in eight European countries. Eurosentinel Study Group

Laboratory tests are routine examinations in general practice and are associated with increasing costs in industrialized countries.

The objective of this collaborative study was to determine the differences in general practitioners' use of blood tests in different European countries and to evaluate the relationship between these differences and organizational aspects of the health care system and also characteristics of the participating general practices.

A descriptive study was conducted by eight European sentinel networks. Voluntary participating general practitioners registered all blood tests requested for four weeks, specifying the type of test, and age group and sex of patients. Details of all face-to-face encounters with patients by age group and sex were collected for the same period. Information on the participating practices and general practitioners was collected by questionnaire.

The request rate for blood tests varied considerably between countries. The characteristics of general practitioners and practice were only slightly or were not associated with the use of blood tests while dummy 'country' variables were strongly associated. The number of general practitioners per 1000 inhabitants was the most positively associated variable partly explaining the intercountry variation.

This European study suggests that some national characteristics of the health system could determine the use of blood tests in general practice and underlines the need for further investigation in order to develop successful strategies for promoting the optimal use of diagnostic technology.