[Variation in the frequency of chronic diseases and risk factors in primary care: 1985-1995]

To study the variation in the frequencies of chronic illnesses in Primary Care between 1985 and 1995.

A repeated crossover study, carried out with the same information-gathering procedures in two periods 10 years apart.

A Family Medicine clinic at a Health Centre.

Frequencies of chronic illnesses, obesity and tobacco addiction in 1,677 patients who attended a Family Medicine clinic between September 1994 and August 1995, were collected. In order to examine the variations, these were compared to the findings of a similar 1985 study of 1,356 patients by the same main researcher and in the same clinic, in which the same diagnostic criteria were used.

Frequencies of almost all chronic illnesses had clearly increased from 1985 (average of 0.88 chronic illnesses per patient) to 1995 (average of 1.99 chronic illnesses per patient), especially in the cancer, Endocrinology, mental disorders, circulatory, respiratory, genito-urinary, skin and muscle-skeleton groups. Variation was not very important in coronary Cardiopathy, Cerebrovascular Accident, chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, peptic ulcer/gastritis/dyspepsia, gall bladder illnesses, Hepatopathies and Renal Lithiasis.

The rising tendency in the frequency of chronic illnesses between 1985 and 1995, with a comparison of comparable and stable series, supposes the need for a significant increase in community social-health resources at the Primary Care level.