Characteristics of children consulting for cough, sore throat, or earache.
BACKGROUND
GPs are often consulted for respiratory tract symptoms in children.


OBJECTIVE
To explore characteristics of children, their parents, and their GPs that are correlated with consulting a GP for cough, sore throat, or earache.


METHODS
Second Dutch National Survey of General Practice (DNSGP-2) with a health interview and an additional questionnaire.


METHODS
Children aged 0-17 years registered with 122 GPs in Dutch general practice.


METHODS
Characteristics of patients and their GPs were derived from the DNSGP-2 health interview and a questionnaire, respectively. Characteristics of the illness symptoms and GP consultation were acquired by means of an additional questionnaire. Data were analysed using multivariate logistic regression.


RESULTS
Of all children who completed the questionnaire, 550 reported cough, sore throat, or earache in the 2 weeks preceding the interview with 147 of them consulting their GP. Young children more frequently consulted the GP for respiratory symptoms, as did children with fever, longer duration of symptoms, those reporting their health to be 'poor to good', and living in an urban area. When parents were worried, and when a child or their parents were cued by someone else, the GP was also consulted more often. GP-related determinants were not associated with GP consultation by children.


CONCLUSIONS
This study emphasises the importance of establishing the reasons behind children with respiratory tract symptoms consulting their GP. When GPs are aware of possible determinants of the decision to consult a GP, more appropriate advice and reassurance can be given regarding these respiratory symptoms, which are generally self-limiting.
Uijen
Johannes H J M
JH
Department of General Practice, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. j.uijen@erasmusmc.nl
van Duijn
Huug J
HJ
Kuyvenhoven
Marijke M
MM
Schellevis
François G
FG
van der Wouden
Johannes C
JC
D000293:Adolescent; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003371:Cough / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004433:Earache / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010612:Pharyngitis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors