[Indicators for evaluating social problems in daily health care practice]

To define some social indicators which allow the social problems of primary care patients to be studied.

A descriptive, crossover study.

A health district with a socially depressed urban population.

Consecutive sampling of 403 patients.

Social risk factors were standardised in function of these criteria: economic, cultural, family, housing, old age and social margination. From these some social indicators were identified, with which a questionnaire with a person-to-person interview was filled in and then the clinical records reviewed. 35% of patients had social problems. We found no connection with gender or age. Pathologies related to the existence of social problems were: mental disorders, infectious diseases, liver and digestive diseases and ill-defined symptoms and signs. There were also more out-patient visits and hospital stays by patients with social problems.

An active search for social problems reveals a much higher occurrence than expected. The finding of a connection between the existence of social problems and determined psychological and organic pathologies could assist the patient's diagnosis and treatment.