Abstract
Resources: The Czech Medical Society of JEP - the Society of General Practice periodically monitors citizen's opinions on selected aspects of general practitioner's activities. This publication follows previous outputs of research carried out between years 2014 and 2017.
Aim and methods: The aim of research was to identify the Czech citizen's opinions on some aspect of general practitioner's (GPs) work. The method of conducted interview between interviewer and respondent (face-to-face) performed by a professional agency was chosen with the aim to provide a representative sociologic research of Czech citizens.
Statistical data was processed by SASD 1.4.10 (Statistical Analysis of Sociological Data). Results: In the representative sociologic research, 1,804 citizens were interviewed.
The subjects of the sample were chosen randomly using quota (quota-type selection). The research results are representative for Czech citizens above the age of 15, with respect to gender, age and region.
The citizens are by vast majority satisfied with the care and time invested in their examination by their GPs and nurses. Only a minimum of subjects holds a negative opinion.
Compared to the 2015-2017 period, the number of citizens who expressed the highest degree of satisfaction, significantly increased in 2018. Majority of Czech citizens understand the information provided by their GPs fully or mostly - 4% of respondents stated they either mostly or completely do not understand.
Almost four fifths of Czech citizens (78.8%) ask their GPs questions in case they do not understand the information given. Almost a half of respondents (46.1%) did not notice any information about GPs in the media last year.
Almost the same number (45.2%) noticed such information occasionally, 6.2% of respondents noticed such information frequently, and the remaining 2.5% of respondents noticed such information on a regular basis. More than a half of citizens occasionally experience feelings of anxiety with somatic correlates, though only one fifth of them (20.7%) turn during such instances to their GP.
Only 8% of Czech smokers (46.0% of respondents from the whole sample were asked) state their GP helped them with smoking cessation. GP's assistance with weight loss would seek 26.4% of respondents, 32.1% would refuse such opportunity.
Most citizens (71.8%) believe their GP refers their patients to medical specialist in cases necessary, 14.8% respondents believe their GP could manage more cases by their own, and 13.4% respondents would welcome more frequent reference to specialists. Most Czech citizens believe their GP should be permitted to prescribe a wider range of drugs, which are currently prescribed by specialists only.