[Study of medical-legal consultations outside the health system in primary care].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate how consultations in order to obtain a medical/legal document, whose destination is other than the health service.


METHODS
A descriptive, crossover study, using a questionnaire filled in by the doctor at the time of the medical-legal consultation.


METHODS
All those users who attended in one year the clinics of the doctors taking part in the study, in order to seek a medical-legal document (MLD) whose destination was other than the health service.


RESULTS
Between 1-9-93 and 31-8-94 there were 287 consultations for a MLD. Of the variables studied, most attendances were by the age group between 15 and 44, masculine, with schooling up to EGB level (basic) or lower and unemployed or pensioner. Average length of the consultation was 6.6 minutes. 42.5% had a clinical interview. 4.6% were referred to a specialist. In 77.7% of cases, a document belonging to the health service was issued. The reason for the procedure was: health certificate (40%), and a sick note (39%).


CONCLUSIONS
The PC doctor normally receives a considerable number of visits to obtain this kind of document, which are required by official bodies to determine the health status of users or concede social benefits to them. There are gaps in the rules on what kind of document.
Saavedra Miján
J
J
Area Sanitaria VIII, Asturias.
Salvadores Rubio
J J
JJ
Igleslas García
A
A
Aguado Blázquez
L P
LP
González Pérez
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011320:Primary Health Care; D013030:Spain
Estudio de las consultas médico-legales ajenas al sistema sanitario en atención primaria.