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Table 2 Categories and codes for reasons for encounter (as reported by physicians) according to the International Classification of Primary Care, version 2 (ICPC-2)

From: Do general practice patients with and without appointment differ? Cross-sectional study

 

Patients without appointment

(n = 251)

Patients with appointment

(n = 250)

P values for group differences

ICPC-2 categories

 Respiratory (R)

68 (27%)

41 (16%)

0.005

 Musculoskeletal (L)

62 (25%)

45 (18%)

0.08

 Process codes (−)

17 (7%)

60 (24%)

< 0.001

 Digestive (D)

27 (11%)

12 (5%)

0.02

 Cardiovascular (K)

13 (5%)

16 (6%)

0.57

 General and unspecified (A)

15 (6%)

13 (5%)

0.14

 Psychological (P)

15 (6%)

12 (5%)

0.69

 Other

35 (13%)

41 (16%)

0.59

Most frequent single ICPC-2 codes

 Upper respiratory infection acute (R74)

35 (14%)

22 (9%)

0.07

 Back syndrome w/o radiating pain (L84)

15 (6%)

8 (3%)

0.14

 Blood test (−34)

1 (< 1%)

18 (7%)

nc

 Gastroenteritis (D73)

14 (6%)

3 (1%)

nc

 Preventive immunization/medication (−44)

4 (2%)

11 (4%)

nc

 Therapeutic counsellling/listening (−58)

8 (3%)

7 (3%)

nc

 Neck syndrome (L83)

10 (4%

4 (2%)

nc

 General symptom/complaint other (A29)

9 (4%)

3 (1%)

nc

 Sinusitis acute/chronic (R75)

6 (2%)

4 (2%)

nc

 Acute bronchitis/bronchiolitis (R78)

5 (2%)

4 (2%)

nc

 Bursitis/tendinitis/synovitis (L87)

2 (1%)

6 (2%)

nc

  1. Values are absolute frequencies (percentages). P-values from Fisher’s exact test; nc = not calculated (as total frequency in all participants < 20)