Spatial patterns of attendance at general practitioner services

• Published in: Social science & medicine (1982) Vol. 31; no. 7; pp. 773 - 781
• Main Authors: Hays, Susan M., Kearns, Robin A., Moran, Warren
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 1990; Elsevier; Pergamon Press Inc
• Series: Social Science & Medicine
• Subjects: attendance; Behavior; Biological and medical sciences; Catchment Area (Health); Cities; Family Practice; General practice; general practice utilization primary health care attendance New Zealand; Geographic aspects; Health care; Health Services Accessibility - statistics & numerical data; Hospitals; Humans; Medical sciences; New Zealand; primary health care; Private Practice - statistics & numerical data; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Social research; Socioeconomic Factors; Travel; Use; utilization; New Zealand; Oceania; New Zealand; primary health care; utilization; general practice; attendance; Human; Internal medicine; Primary health care; Public health; Result
• ISSN: 0277-9536; 1873-5347
• DOI: 10.1016/0277-9536(90)90172-O

Geographical theory suggests that consumers will travel to the centre nearest to their residence which offers a particular service. This is a weak indicator of surgery attendance patterns in Gisborne, New Zealand. Nearby surgeries were attended, rather than the nearest available. Various attributes of the practices and the patients were examined to discover their influence on attendance patterns. The distribution of the practices themselves had a significant effect upon relative surgery attendance. Prior knowledge of services was particularly important in determining surgery selection and continued attendance. This accounted for the spatially unconstrained attendance of many Maori. Greater personal mobility enabled higher income households to travel further to attend. Conversely, the less mobile were spatially bounded.