title: RCGP Research and Surveillance Centre Annual Report 2014-2015: disparities in presentations to primary care.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) Research and Surveillance Centre (RSC) comprises over 100 general practices in England, with a population of around 1 million, providing a public health surveillance system for England and data for research.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To demonstrate the scope of data with the RCGP Annual Report 2014-2015 (May 2014 to April 2015) by describing disparities in the presentation of six common conditions included in the report.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a report of respiratory and communicable disease incidence from a primary care sentinel network in England.
  
  
  METHODS
  Incidence rates and demographic profiles are described for common cold, acute otitis media, pneumonia, influenza-like illness, herpes zoster, and scarlet fever. The impact of age, sex, ethnicity, and deprivation on the diagnosis of each condition is explored using a multivariate logistic regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  With the exception of herpes zoster, all conditions followed a seasonal pattern. Apart from pneumonia and scarlet fever, the odds of presenting with any of the selected conditions were greater for females (P<0.001). Older people had a greater probability of a pneumonia diagnosis (≥75 years, odds ratio [OR] 6.37; P<0.001). Common cold and influenza-like illness were more likely in people from ethnic minorities than white people, while the converse was true for acute otitis media and herpes zoster. There were higher odds of acute otitis media and herpes zoster diagnosis among the less deprived (least deprived quintile, OR 1.32 and 1.48, respectively; P<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The RCGP RSC database provides insight into the content and range of GP workload and provides insight into current public health concerns. Further research is needed to explore these disparities in presentation to primary care.
authors.affiliation: RCGP Research and Surveillance Centre.
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: de Lusignan
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Surrey and RCGP Research and Surveillance Centre, Guildford.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Correa
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Surrey and RCGP Research and Surveillance Centre, Guildford.
authors.forename: Sameera
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pathirannehelage
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Surrey, Guildford.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Byford
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Surrey and RCGP Research and Surveillance Centre, Guildford.
authors.forename: Ivelina
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yonova
authors.affiliation: Real-time Syndromic Surveillance Team.
authors.forename: Alex J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Elliot
authors.affiliation: Healthcare-Associated Infection and Antimicrobial Resistance Department.
authors.forename: Theresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lamagni
authors.affiliation: Immunisation, Hepatitis and Blood Safety.
authors.forename: Gayatri
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Amirthalingam
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Surveillance Department, National Infection Service, Public Health England, London.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pebody
authors.affiliation: Real-time Syndromic Surveillance Team.
authors.forename: Gillian
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Surrey and Department of Population Health, New York University, New York.
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Clinical Innovation and Research Centre, RCGP, London.
authors.forename: Imran
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rafi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D044383:Black People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003139:Common Cold / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D058006:General Practice; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012541:Scarlet Fever / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012621:Seasons; D012737:Sex Factors; D012955:Societies, Medical; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: common cold; general practice; herpes zoster; human influenza; medical records systems, computerised; otitis media; pneumonia; scarlet fever