Decreasing the number of consultations for minor illnesses of Turkish and Dutch inhabitants of a deprived area in The Netherlands: an intervention study

Objective. The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of GPs personally handing out to their patients booklets about minor ailments and self-limiting health problems (minor illnesses). Methods. The study was a pre-test–post-test, control group design and took place in seven general practices. The participants were 162 patients (72 Turkish, 70 Dutch and 20 of other nationality) who frequently visit their GP (>5 times a year), living in deprived areas of The Hague. They were recruited in the waiting rooms of participating general practices. GPs personally handed out booklets to... Mehr ...