[Thematic and methodological analysis of investigation in primary care (1988-1992)]

To describe Spanish scientific output in primary care with regard to subjects, design and statistical methods employed and also its appropriateness, importance and funding.

Descriptive, longitudinal and retrospective study.

Spanish scientific output in primary care published in medical journals and listed in the Indice Medico Español during the five year period 1988-1992.

446 original articles published in thirty-four journals.

The greatest percentage of articles came under the heading "policy and health" (23.6%), next was "health services" (14.8%). There was a predominance of observational designs (79.9%) and within this category, descriptive studies (67.1%). The most common statistical methods used were contingency tables (35,9%). The majority of articles (94.8%) do not indicate the source of their funding. The appropriateness was around 50% and the importance around 4%.

According to our study, research into primary care centres on the evaluation and organization of the health services. The majority of the designs have little inferential power and simple statistical methods. There is hardly any funding available, and only a half of the articles comply with appropriateness criteria.