The document summarizes a study that measured health status in family practice patients using the EuroQol EQ-5D questionnaire. Over 2,000 patients were surveyed with an 83% response rate. The results showed that 73% of respondents reported at least a moderate problem in one or more health dimensions. The most commonly reported problems were pain (72.5%), mobility problems (46.7%), and problems with usual daily activities (52.7%). Having problems was more likely for females and increased with age. Patients with lower education reported more problems with daily activities, pain, mobility and self-care. The study concluded that family practice patients experience high rates of health problems that primary care teams need to address in addition to clinical symptoms

1. MEASUREMENT OF HEALTH STATUS IN FAMILY PRACTICE PATIENTS JANKO KERSNIK Department of family medicine, University Ljubljana

2. QUALITY OF LIFE Health status has become central in the assessing the quality of health care Health status is defined as individual’s perception of health related problems with his/her own health in a defined period requiring the measurement of general, physiologic, mental, physical, and social health and patient satisfaction

3. METHODS A sample of 2160 family practice patients aged 18 and over visiting practices under study in the study period EuroQol EQ-5D instrument for measuring functional status and health status: possible answ.: 0, 1, 2

4. RESULTS - 1/6 83% response rate A moderate problem on at least one dimension reported by 73% of respondents

5. RESULTS - 2/6 13,4% reported problems with self care, 46,7% reported mobility problems , 52,7% reported problems in their usual daily activities , 57,7% reported psychological problems and 72,5% reported pain

6. RESULTS - 3/6 12% of respondents reported any extreme problem

7. RESULTS - 4/6 0,5% reported serious mobility problems 0,7% reported serious problems with self care 3,7% reported severe psychological problems 5,7% reported serious problems in their usual daily activities and 6,5% reported severe pain

8. RESULTS - 5/6 Having any problem was more likely for females (OR: 1,29; CI:1,04-1,60, P=0,02) No. of reported health care problems increased significantly with the age (P<0.001)

9. RESULTS - 6/6 Lower education  higher No. of problems with daily activities (OR: 1,63 ; CI: 1,34-1,97; P<0,001) pain (OR: 1,65 ; CI: 1,33-2,02; P<0,001) mobility (OR: 1,73 ; CI: 1,42-2,04; P<0,001) self care (OR: 2,33 ; CI: 1,74-3,13; P<0,001) but not significant differences with anxiety or depression problems (P=0,06)

10. CONLUSIONS Patients in FP experience very high rates of health related problems FP and his primary care team have to address them besides clinical symptoms EuroQol questionnaire has proved itself to be a feasible instrument for evaluation of generic health status for the use in FM