Association between travel distance and face-to-face consultations with general practitioners before an incident acute myocardial infarction : a nationwide register-based spatial epidemiological study

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OBJECTIVES: This study examined the association between travel distance to the general practitioner's (GP) office and no face-to-face GP consultation within 1 year before an incident acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

DESIGN: A prospective cohort study using multilevel spatial logistic regression analysis of nationwide register data.

SETTING: Nationwide study including contacts to GPs in Denmark prior to an incident AMI in 2005-2017.

PARTICIPANTS: 121 232 adults (≥30 years) with incident AMI were included in the study.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOMES MEASURES: The primary outcome was odds of not having a face-to-face GP consultation within 1 year before an incident AMI.

RESULTS: In total, 13 108 (10.8%) of the 121 232 individuals with incident AMI had no face-to-face consultation with the GP within 1 year before the AMI. Population density modified the association between travel distance and no face-to-face GP consultation. Increased odds of no face-to-face GP consultation was observed for medium (25th-75th percentile/1123-5449 m) and long (>75th percentile/5449 m) compared with short travel distance (<25th percentile/1123 m) among individuals living in small cities (OR (95% credible intervals) of 1.19 (1.10 to 1.29) and 1.19 (1.06 to 1.33), respectively) and rural areas (1.46 (1.26 to 1.68) and 1.48 (1.29 to 1.68), respectively). No association was observed for individuals living in large cities and the capital.

CONCLUSIONS: Travel distance above approximately 1 km was significantly associated with no face-to-face GP consultation before an incident AMI among individuals living in small cities and rural areas. The structure of the healthcare system should consider the importance of geographical distance between citizens and the GP in remote areas.

Medienart:

E-Artikel

Erscheinungsjahr:

2024

Erschienen:

2024

Enthalten in:

Zur Gesamtaufnahme - volume:14

Enthalten in:

BMJ open - 14(2024), 1 vom: 25. Jan., Seite e079124

Sprache:

Englisch

Beteiligte Personen:

Kjærulff, Thora Majlund [VerfasserIn]
Bihrmann, Kristine [VerfasserIn]
Søndergaard, Jens [VerfasserIn]
Gislason, Gunnar [VerfasserIn]
Larsen, Mogens Lytken [VerfasserIn]
Ersbøll, Annette Kjær [VerfasserIn]

Links:

Volltext

Themen:

EPIDEMIOLOGIC STUDIES
Health Equity
Health Services Accessibility
Journal Article
Myocardial infarction
Observational Study
Organisation of health services
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Anmerkungen:

Date Completed 29.01.2024

Date Revised 01.02.2024

published: Electronic

Citation Status MEDLINE

doi:

10.1136/bmjopen-2023-079124

funding:

Förderinstitution / Projekttitel:

PPN (Katalog-ID):

NLM367629682