Skip to main content
OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT01422031

Study on Primary Care Health Service Utilization in Hong Kong

The aim of this study was to find out the utilization rate and pattern of primary health care services, and the process and outcomes of primary care consultations of the general population in Hong Kong, and whether having a family doctor would make any difference.

The study objectives were to determine

1. the rates and pattern of utilization of different primary health care services and self-care 2. Patient self-reported outcomes (global rating on change in health, satisfaction and patient enablement) of primary care consultations; 3. the process of care in consultations including drug and non-drug managements, investigations, preventive care and referrals; 4. the effect of having a regular family doctor on service utilization rate and pattern, health promotion practice, and process and outcomes of primary care consultations.

Completed

Looking for future studies?

Notify Me

Key information

Conditions

Primary Care Behavior Family Practice Health Behavior Health Services Utilization Patient Acceptance of Health Care Treatment Adherence and Compliance

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

Family Medicine Unit, Faculty of Medicine, HKU

Hong Kong, China

About this study

Study Design: A Cross-sectional general population survey and a longitudinal study (12-weeks follow up)

Method: Two phases, corresponding to Summer and Winter, respectively, of cross-sectional telephone survey on the Hong Kong general population using a structured questionnaire to collect information on the choice primary care doctors, illness rates, primary care service utilization rates and self-reported process and outcomes of consultations. A longitudinal study for 12 weeks was carried out on a sub-sample of the cross-sectional study subjects to collect data to cross-validate cross-sectional data. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were used to determine whether there was any difference in service utilization rates, process and outcomes among people using different types of primary care doctors.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Written consent to study

Exclusion criteria

  • Non-residential numbers
  • Inability to communicate in Cantonese, Putonghua or English
  • Refusal to telephone interview
  • No contact after 5 attempts

Treatment and study plan

Primary outcomes

  1. Primary care doctor choice group

    Time frame: baseline

  2. Monthly utilization rate

    Time frame: Baseline

  3. Patient Enablement Instrument (PEI)

    Time frame: Baseline

  4. Rates of non-drug managements

    Time frame: Baseline

Secondary outcomes

  1. Doctor shopping rate

    Time frame: Baseline

  2. Self-medication rates during the last episode of illness

    Time frame: Baseline

  3. Prescribing rate during last episode of illness

    Time frame: Baseline

  4. Prevalence of preventive care

    Time frame: Baseline

  5. Self-perceived health score

    Time frame: Baseline

  6. Patient satisfaction

    Time frame: Baseline

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

The University of Hong Kong

Other

Collaborators

  • Food and Health Bureau, Hong Kong

Registry information

Official study title

Utilization Pattern of Primary Health Care Services in Hong Kong - Does Having a Family Doctor Make Any Difference?

Important dates

Study start
2007
Primary completion
2008
Study completion
2008
First posted
Aug 23, 2011
Registry last updated
Jan 26, 2015

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Related clinical trials

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.