Humphreys J S, Mathews-Cowey S, Weinand H C
Department of Geography and Planning, University of New England, Armidale, NSW.
Med J Aust. 1997 Jun 2;166(11):577-80. doi: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1997.tb123267.x.
To ascertain the importance rural Australians attribute to different factors of accessibility in their decision to consult a general practitioner.
Survey by interview or delivery-and-collection questionnaire (participant's choice) based on the method of paired comparisons.
All residents of 10 small rural communities in north-west New South Wales aged over 16 years in July and August 1996.
Rank order and relative importance of residents' preferences for choosing to consult a particular doctor.
Social accessibility or acceptability considerations were more important than geographical proximity in the choices of rural residents to consult a particular doctor. Elderly people, in particular, attributed most significance to acceptability and continuity of care. Geographical proximity ranked most highly for young and middle-aged people and men living in isolated communities.
For rural inhabitants, geographical distance is not the sole or even the most important determinant in their choice of general practice care; rather, they will seek the services of a GP with whom they feel comfortable. Incentives programs designed to recruit and retain more GPs in rural practice must acknowledge the importance of attracting acceptable doctors. This requires that rural doctors acquire suitable clinical and communication skills to meet the diverse needs of their patients, as well as an understanding of rural culture.
确定澳大利亚农村居民在决定咨询全科医生时赋予不同可及性因素的重要性。
基于配对比较法，通过访谈或投递-收集问卷（由参与者选择）进行调查。
1996年7月和8月，新南威尔士州西北部10个农村小社区中所有16岁以上居民。
居民选择咨询特定医生的偏好的排序及相对重要性。
在农村居民选择咨询特定医生时，社会可及性或可接受性考量比地理位置接近性更重要。尤其是老年人，最看重可接受性和连续性护理。对于年轻人、中年人和生活在偏远社区的男性来说，地理位置接近性排名最高。
对于农村居民而言，地理距离并非他们选择全科医疗服务的唯一甚至最重要的决定因素；相反，他们会寻求能让自己感到舒适的全科医生的服务。旨在招募和留住更多农村全科医生的激励计划必须认识到吸引可接受的医生的重要性。这要求农村医生具备合适的临床和沟通技能，以满足患者的多样需求，同时还要了解农村文化。
