Prevalence of persons contacting general practice for psychological stress in Denmark

Figures & data

Table 1. Characteristics of participating GPs compared to the total region.

	Participating GPs	All GPs in the region^a
Number of GPs	56	807
Number of clinics	33	365
Average number of listed patients per GP	1509	1501
Proportion of female GPs	61%	49%
Average age of GPs	50 years	52 years
Proportion in single-handed clinics	14%	18%
Proportion in clinics >2 GPs	70%	60%

^a Source: The Region of Southern Denmark, Autumn 2015.

Figure 1. Variation among GPs in listed patients' prevalence of psychological stress.

Table 2. Prevalence of psychological stress according to the characteristics of patients, GPs, practices and geographic areas.

Characteristics		Number (%)	Unit	n/N patients	Prevalence (%)
Total prevalence		1066 (100)	Patients	1066 / 51.422	2.1
Patient sex^a	Female	739 (68)	Patients	739 / 25.306	2.9
	Male	325 (32)	Patients	325 / 26.116	1.2
Patient age	18–34 years	292 (27)	Patients	292 / 16.744	1.7
	35–54 years	567 (53)	Patients	567 / 23.077	2.5
	55–65 years	207 (20)	Patients	207 / 11.601	1.8
GP’s sex	Female	34 (61)	GPs	694 / 30.880	2.2
	Male	22 (39)	GPs	372 / 20.542	1.8
GP age	< 50 years	23 (41)	GPs	487 / 20.580	2.4
	≥ 50 years	33 (59)	GPs	579 / 30.842	1.9
Practice size	1–2 GPs	13 (39)	Practices	352 / 17.186	2.0
	3+ GPs	20 (61)	Practices	714 / 34.236	2.1
Patients per GP	<1600	18 (55)	Practices	631 / 24.295	2.6
	≥1600	15 (45)	Practices	435 / 27.127	1.6
Household Income	≤60,000 €	7 (30)	Postal districts	482 / 23.228	2.1
	>60,000 €	16 (70)	Postal districts	584 / 28.194	2.1
Unemployment	≤3	5 (42)	Municipalities	301 / 16.536	1.8
	>3	7 (58)	Municipalities	765 / 34.886	2.2
Higher education	≤20	5 (42)	Municipalities	124 / 7.493	1.7
	>20	7 (58)	Municipalities	942 / 43.929	2.1
Urbanisation	≤75	5 (42)	Municipalities	284 / 11.909	2.4
	>75	7 (58)	Municipalities	782 / 39.513	2.0

The prevalence is the proportion (n) of patients aged 18-65 years with a consultation for psychological stress in the past 6 months based on a systematic search in EMRs and subsequent GP assessment. N was estimated from the total number of listed patients. We assumed that the sex and age composition of listed patients was similar to that of the local municipality population and that patients were equally distributed between participating and non-participating GPs. ^aTwo patients had no record of sex.

Figure 2. Age distribution of psychological stress.

Table 3. Patient-, GP- and area-related factors associated with having had a GP consultation for psychological stress in the six-months period.

Patient, GP and area characteristics		Model 1	Model 2	Model 3	Model 4
		OR (95% CI)	OR (95% CI)	OR (95% CI)	OR (95% CI)
Patient’s sex	Female	1	1	1	1
	Male	0.43 (0.35–0.52)	0.42 (0.34–0.51)	0.42 (0.34–0.51)	0.42 (0.34–0.51)
Patient’s age	18–34 years	1	1	1	1
	35–54 years	1.40 (1.16–1.69) 3.4)	1.39 (1.14–1.70)	1.39 (1.14–1.70)	1.38 (1.14–1.68)
	55–65 years	0.99 (0.78–1.27)	0.96 (0.76–1.23)	0.97 (0.76–1.23)	0.96 (0.76–1.21)
GP’s sex	Female	1	1		1
	Male	0.76 (0.55–1.04)	0.76 (0.59–0.99)		0.72 (0.56–0.92)
GP’s age	< 50 years	1	1		1
	≥ 50 years	0.77 (0.58–1.02)	0.80 (0.62–1.04)		0.73 (0.56–0.95)
Practice size	1–2 GPs	1	1		1
	3+ GPs	1.01 (0.73–1.40)	0.79 (0.58–1.06)		0.66 (0.46–0.95)
Patients per GP	< 1600	1	1		1
	≥ 1600-	0.61 (0.46–0.81)	0.59 (0.45–0.76)		0.64 (0.49–0.84)
Area, househ. income	≤ 60,000 €	1		1	1
	> 60,000 €	1.06 (0.78–1.45)		0.92 (0.69–1.22)	1.00 (0.76–1.32)
Area, unemployment	≤ 3%	1		1	1
	> 3%	1.27 (0.94–1.72)		1.11 (0.84–1.46)	0.94 (0.77–1.16)
Area, higher education	≤ 20%	1		1	1
	> 20%	1.39 (0.96–2.00)		1.55 (1.09–2.19)	1.74 (1.06–2.87)
Area, urbanisation	≤ 75%	1		1	1
	> 75%	0.90 (0.64–1.26)		0.70 (0.52–0.95)	0.67 (0.51-0.89)

All models are logistic regressions with robust estimates accounting for patient clustering with 56 different GPs. Model 1 is crude. Model 2 includes practice characteristics. Model 3 includes area characteristics. Model 4 includes both practice and area characteristics. The age- and sex-specific numbers of patients listed with the practices were estimated from the reported total number of listed patients and the age and sex composition in the GP´s municipality.