Factors associated with enablement in general practice: cross-sectional study using routinely-collected data.
BACKGROUND
Quality-improvement activities are most often focused on clinical quality indicators. However, patient evaluations are important additional indicators of the quality of general practice consultations, including measures of satisfaction or enablement (that is, the extent to which the consultation enhances the patient's feelings of confidence and ability to cope). There is limited evidence concerning factors associated with enablement in UK general practice.


OBJECTIVE
To identify patient and practice characteristics associated with enablement scores following general practice consultations.


METHODS
Cross-sectional survey using a large routinely-collected dataset of patient evaluations of general practice (190,038 individual patient responses).


METHODS
A total of 1031 UK general practices.


METHODS
Relationships between health, demographic factors, evaluations of general practice care, and patient self-reported enablement were estimated using multiple regression.


RESULTS
The primary predictor of enablement was positive patient evaluation of the GPs' communication. Reported continuity of care accounted for a lower proportion of the variance. Of the included patient demographic variables, ethnicity was a key predictor, with patients from minority ethnic groups reporting greater enablement once other factors were controlled.


CONCLUSIONS
The current results provide support for the construct validity of the enablement measure. However, if enablement is to become a valid and useful measure of quality, it is necessary to understand the mechanisms by which enablement is increased in certain patients and practices. Detailed qualitative research may also be required to explain the relatively high scores of ethnic minority responders, despite lower overall satisfaction scores, and to understand why some items included in the enablement measure are regarded as 'not applicable' by a substantial minority of patients.
Mead
Nicola
N
National Primary Care Research and Development Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester. nicki.mead@manchester.ac.uk
Bower
Peter
P
Roland
Martin
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000592:standards; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005006:Ethnicity; D005194:Family Practice / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D006113:United Kingdom