title: Which dimensions of access are most important when rural residents decide to visit a general practitioner for non-emergency care?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Access to primary healthcare (PHC) services is key to improving health outcomes in rural areas. Unfortunately, little is known about which aspect of access is most important. The objective of this study was to determine the relative importance of different dimensions of access in the decisions of rural Australians to utilise PHC provided by general practitioners (GP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected from residents of five communities located in 'closely' settled and 'sparsely' settled rural regions. A paired-comparison methodology was used to quantify the relative importance of availability, distance, affordability (cost) and acceptability (preference) in relation to respondents' decisions to utilise a GP service for non-emergency care.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Consumers reported that preference for a GP and GP availability are far more important than distance to and cost of the service when deciding to visit a GP for non-emergency care. Important differences in rankings emerged by geographic context, gender and age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Understanding how different dimensions of access influence the utilisation of PHC services is critical in planning the provision of PHC services. This study reports how consumers 'trade-off' the different dimensions of access when accessing GP care in rural Australia. The results show that ensuring 'good' access requires that policymakers and planners should consider other dimensions of access to services besides geography.
authors.affiliation: School of Rural Health, Monash University, PO Box 666, Bendigo, Vic. 3552, Australia. Email: ;
authors.forename: Bernadette
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.affiliation: School of Rural Health, Monash University, PO Box 666, Bendigo, Vic. 3552, Australia. Email: ;
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Humphreys
authors.affiliation: School of Rural Health, Monash University, PO Box 666, Bendigo, Vic. 3552, Australia. Email: ;
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McGrail
authors.affiliation: Centre for Remote Health, A Joint Centre of Flinders University & Charles Darwin University, PO Box 4066, Alice Springs, NT 0871, Australia. Email.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wakerman
authors.affiliation: School of Rural Health, Monash University, PO Box 666, Bendigo, Vic. 3552, Australia. Email: ;
authors.forename: Marita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chisholm
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia; D005260:Female; D058006:General Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D057240:Patient Preference; D012424:Rural Population; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D000078329:Workforce; D055815:Young Adult