Table 2 Characteristics of the participating GP networks in the EURO SENTIMELC study 2009-2010
Belgium | The Netherlands | Italy | Spain | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Coordinating institution | Institute of Public Health | NIVEL Institute | Italian Society of General Practitioners | Directorate General of Public Health |
Founded in | 1979 | 1970 | 2009 | 1988 |
Years of participation in EURO SENTIMELC study | Since 2004 and ongoing | Since 2005 and ongoing | 2009 and 2010 | 2010 |
Participating regions | Country wide | Country wide | Country wide | Castilla y León (north) and Valencia (south) |
Number of GP practices and general patient population coverage | +/− 200 GPs (+/− 170 GP practices) Covering 1.75% of the total Belgian population | +/−59 GPs (in 42 GP practices) Covering 0,8% of the total Dutch population | 149 GPs participating in 2009; and 94 GPs in 2010 Covering +/− 3-4% of population per health district | +/−114 GPs covering 3,5% of the total +18y population in Castilla y León; and 59 GPs covering 2,2% in Valencia |
Representativity of the GP network in the country | Representative of all GPs in Belgium in terms of age, gender and geographical distribution, and also of the GPs in the Northern (Dutch-speaking) and Southern (French-speaking) regions | Representative of all Dutch GPs in terms of geographical distribution and urbanization, age and gender | Representative of all GPs in terms of age and gender in all 9 health districts participating (distributed in all of the four Italian statistical macro-areas) | Representative for the 2 participating Sentinel GP Networks: Castilla y León and Valencia, in terms of age, gender, urbanization and other geographical variables |