Analysis of Expectations in Routine Appointments: A Cross-Sectional Study in Portugal

Abstract

Preventive medicine is a subject of study due to the increasing evidence that it can cause more harm than good, and the population's interest in routine appointments is widely recognized. The main objective of this study was to understand users' expectations regarding routine appointments in primary health care and compare them to doctors' perceptions regarding these expectations. We carried out a cross-sectional observational study in 2023 through the application of two questionnaires: one for adult patients and another for family physicians. The invitations to answer the questionnaire via Google Forms were shared on specific social networks. For elderly patients, the questionnaire was conducted in-person by one of the researchers. It consisted of 25 questions about preventive attitudes during appointments, analytical tests and their frequency, and recommendations based on sex and age, differing in the language used. A sample of 225 patients and 100 general and family medicine doctors was obtained. The patients selected an average of 7.8 ± 9.7 preventive attitudes during the consultation, and the doctors judged that they would have selected 4.6 ± 2.9 (p = 0.001). Cardiac and pulmonary auscultation (82.6%), physical exercise quantification (74.7%), and smoking habits assessment (72.9%) were the most selected measures, the most selected tests being blood glucose measurement (81.8%), lipid profile (80.4%), and urine analysis (75.1%). For 68.2% of patients, routine check-ups should be annual, with 88.0% of doctors believing that patients would want this frequency. The socioeconomic level of the population did not significantly influence the results. It is important that general practitioners / family doctors are aware of patients' expectations. In this sample, patients revealed a greater appreciation for a higher number of preventive medical measures during consultations and more periodic analytical testing than thought by the doctors. Doctors also judged that users would show greater interest in the frequent implementation of screening programs.