RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN HEALTH NEEDS, SOCIO-ENVIRONMENTAL INDEXES, GENERAL-PRACTITIONER RESOURCES AND UTILIZATION

Age and sex standardised data on acute sickness and chronic sickness from a household interview survey were considered together with mortality as available indices of health care needs. These health indicators were correlated with socio-environmental indices, general practitioner (GP) resources and GP utilisation for the standard economic regions of England and Wales. The proportion of unskilled persons in a population was positively and significantly correlated with acute sickness, chronic sickness and mortality. The possibility of using a social class indicator as a guide to the allocation of health service funds was discussed. Environmental indicators showed poor correlations with health needs. Non-significant but mainly negative correlations were found between the need indicators and GP resources and between the proportion of unskilled and GP resources. These findings suggest that the distribution of GPs is not yet matched to health needs. © 1979.