Factors that affect GP referral of a child with intellectual disability for a mild illness: A discrete choice experiment.

Abstract

General practitioners (GP) report multiple challenges when treating individuals with intellectual disabilities which may influence referral rates. The study aimed to establish factors that influence GP's decision-making when referring a child with intellectual disabilities to the emergency department. Discrete choice experiments (DCEs) are increasingly used in health research to further understand complex decision making. A DCE was designed to assess the relative importance of factors that may influence a GP's (N = 157) decision to refer. A random parameters model indicated that perceived limited parental capacity to manage an illness was the most important factor in the decision to refer a child to the ED, followed by a repeat visit, a referral request from the parent, and a Friday afternoon appointment. Understanding the factors that influence referral is important for service improvement and to strengthen primary care provision for this population and their families.