[Access to medical care of patient with hypertension: influence of socio-professional categories (author's transl)].

An analysis of socio-professional categories was performed in 712 active hypertensive men, referred between January 1st 1976 and December 31st 1977 to the hypertension out patient clinic of the Saint-Joseph Hospital, Paris. The percentages of senior executives, middle executives and patients with liberal professions, were higher than those calculated in the whole French population. In contrast, the percentages of craftsmen, shopkeeper, employees and manual workers were lower. Furthermore, blood pressure levels obtained by history and those found at first consultation were higher in employees and manual workers than in patients from a higher socio-economic level. The social differencies which are observed may be related to known data concerning mortality, morbidity and drug consumption according to socio-professional categories. They should lead physicians and health care administrators to seek more effective and egalitarian methods of prevention.