Still the doctor - by a country mile! Preferences for health services in two country towns in north-west New South Wales.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate whether rural consumer preferences for health services have changed over time or vary across communities with different models of health service delivery.


METHODS
Questionnaire survey replicating a 1989 study, with ranking of seven different healthcare services.


METHODS
Adult occupants from a 20% sample of private residences, in towns and on farms, in the rural shires of Bogan and Warren in north-west New South Wales. The survey was conducted in September 2002.


METHODS
Rank order of preferences for different healthcare services; preference structure intervals showing relative "distance" between preferences.


RESULTS
Response rates were 68% (Nyngan town), 78% (Nyngan farms) and 59% (Warren town). The doctor was the most valued health service in rural communities, followed by the hospital. These preferences occurred regardless of age, sex or place of residence, persisted over time, and were similar for residents of towns with different models of healthcare service provision.


CONCLUSIONS
Rural people, both in towns and on farms, rate acute primary healthcare services provided by the doctor and hospital as the two most important services. These preferences have not changed substantially after a decade of restructuring rural health services and reorienting them towards a primary healthcare approach. The stability of rural consumer preferences may reflect a bias towards the status quo.
Smith
Karly B
KB
School of Rural Health, Monash University, PO Box 42, North Bendigo, VIC 3550. Karly.smith@med.monash.edu.au
Humphreys
John S
JS
Lenard
Yuliya
Y
Jones
Judith A
JA
Prince
Vanessa
V
Han
Gil Soo
GS
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D003157:Community Pharmacy Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005194:Family Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends*; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006761:Hospitals / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009517:New South Wales; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends*