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Health service utilisation > General practitioners

• General practitioner (GP) indicators
• Reasons for visiting a GP
• Reasons for not visiting a GP

Table 35: General practitioner (GP) indicators

How to interpret results - tables

Indicator	Māori			non-Māori
	Males	Females	Total	Males	Females	Total
Seen a GP in the last 12 months (self-reported), 15+ years, percent 1,2 *	64.4 (59.0-69.7)	81.5 (77.9-85.0)	73.8 (71.0-76.6)	74.0 (71.9-76.1)	84.5 (82.8-86.1	79.3 (78.0-80.7)
Unmet need for GP in last 12 months (self-reported), 15+ years, percent 1,2 *	16.6 (12.4-20.9)	23.6 (19.4-27.8)	20.1 (17.3-23.0)	10.9 (8.9-12.9)	13.6 (12.0-15.3)	12.2 (11.0-13.5)

Notes:
^{1,2 *} Age-standardised to 2001 Census total Māori population.
^{1,2 *} Prioritised Māori ethnic group - see Methods and Data Sources section for further information
Source:^{1,2 *}2002/03 New Zealand Health Survey

Māori males were significantly less likely to have seen a general practitioner (GP) in the last 12 months than non-Māori males (RR 0.9, CI 0.8–0.9). Males in both ethnic groups were significantly less likely to have seen a GP than females.


Reasons for visiting a GP For both Māori and non-Māori, the most common reasons for visiting a GP were short-term illness, routine check-up and disability or chronic illness (see Figures 9 and 10 below). Injury or poisoning was also a common reason for both Māori and non-Māori males.

Figure 9: Top eight reasons for visiting GP in last 12 months, males, 15+ years

How to interpret results - figures View the data source for this figure

Notes:
¹ Age-standardised to 2001 Census total Māori population.
² Prioritised Māori ethnic group - see Methods and Data Sources section for further information.
Source: 2002/03 New Zealand Health Survey
Text description: This graph shows the top eight reasons for visiting a GP in the last 12 months for males aged 15 years and over. For both Māori and non-Māori, the most common reasons for visiting a GP were short-term illness, routine check-up and disability or chronic illness. Injury or poisoning was also a common reason for both Māori and non-Māori males.

Figure 10: Top eight reasons for visiting GP in last 12 months, females, 15+ years

How to interpret results - figures View the data source for this figure

Notes:
¹ Age-standardised to 2001 Census total Māori population.
² Prioritised Māori ethnic group - see Methods and Data Sources section for further information.
Source: 2002/03 New Zealand Health Survey
Text description: This graph shows the top eight reasons for visiting a GP in the last 12 months for females aged 15 years and over. For both Māori and non-Māori, the most common reasons for visiting a GP were short-term illness, routine check-up and disability or chronic illness


Reasons for not visiting a GP

Cost was the main reason given by both Māori and non-Māori for not visiting a GP when they needed to (see Figures 11 and 12 below). However, the impact of cost may well be greater for Māori, who report higher levels of unmet need (see Table 35 above). Māori females were more than one-and-a-half times more likely to have an unmet need for a GP than non-Māori females (RR 1.7 CI 1.4–2.1). In addition, lack of transport was significantly more likely to be a barrier for Māori females than for non-Māori females (see Figure 12 below).

The level of satisfaction with GPs was high among both genders and ethnicities: 90.7 percent of Māori adults and 92.3 percent of non-Māori adults reported they were either satisfied or very satisfied with their GP.

Figure 11: Top six reasons for not seeing GP when needed to, males, 15+ years

How to interpret results - figures View the data source for this figure

Notes:
¹ Age-standardised to 2001 Census total Māori population.
² Prioritised Māori ethnic group - see Methods and Data Sources section for further information.
Source: 2002/03 New Zealand Health Survey
Text description: This graph shows the top six reasons for not seeing a GP when needed to for males aged 15 years and over. Cost was the main reason given by both Māori and non-Māori for not visiting a GP when they needed to.

Figure 12: Top six reasons for not seeing GP when needed to, females, 15+ years

How to interpret results - figures View the data source for this figure

Notes:
¹ Age-standardised to 2001 Census total Māori population.
² Prioritised Māori ethnic group - see Methods and Data Sources section for further information.
Source: 2002/03 New Zealand Health Survey
Text description: This graph shows the top six reasons for not seeing a GP when needed to for females aged 15 years and over. Cost was the main reason given by both Māori and non-Māori for not visiting a GP when they needed to. Lack of transport was significantly more likely to be a barrier for Māori females than for non-Māori females.

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