title: Preventive care in general practice among healthy older New South Wales residents.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite being at high risk, disadvantaged patients may be less likely to receive preventive care in general practice. This study aimed to explore self-reported preventive care received from general practitioners and the factors associated with this by healthy New South Wales (NSW) residents aged 45-74 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  A self-completed questionnaire was sent to 100,000 NSW residents in the 45 and Up cohort study. There was a 60% response rate. After exclusions there were 39,964 participants aged 45-74 years who did not report cardiovascular disease or diabetes. Dichotomised outcome variables were participant report of having had a clinical assessment of their blood pressure (BP), blood cholesterol (BC) or blood glucose (BG), or received advice to eat less high fat food, eat more fruit and vegetables or be more physically active from their GP in the last 12 months. Independent variables included socio-demographic, lifestyle risk factors, health status, access to health care and confidence in self-management.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most respondents reported having had their BP (90.6%), BC (73.9%) or BG (69.4%) assessed. Fewer reported being given health advice to (a)eat less high fat food (26.6%), (b) eat more fruit and vegetables (15.5%) or (c) do more physical activity (19.9%). The patterns of association were consistent with recognised need: participants who were older, less well educated or overweight were more likely to report clinical assessments; participants who were overseas born, of lower educational attainment, less confident in their own self-management, reported insufficient physical activity or were overweight were more likely to report receiving advice. However current smokers were less likely to report clinical assessments; and rural and older participants were less likely to receive diet or physical activity advice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrated a gap between reported clinical assessments and preventive advice. There was evidence for inverse care for rural participants and smokers, who despite being at higher risk of health problems, were less likely to report receiving preventive care. This suggests the need for greater effort to promote preventive care for these groups in Australian general practice.
authors.forename: Mark F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: Fakhrul Md
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Islam
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jalaludin
authors.forename: Jack
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Adrian E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Bauman
authors.forename: Elizabeth J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Comino
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D004041:Dietary Fats; D037001:Directive Counseling / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D058006:General Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D009517:New South Wales; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012907:Smoking; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014675:Vegetables
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D004041:Dietary Fats; D002784:Cholesterol