Morbidity in the Population and in General Practice

This chapter uses data from the second Dutch National Survey of General Practice (DNSGP - 2) to describe the health status of the population and health problems presented to general practice in 2001. The results will be compared with data from the first Dutch National Survey of General Practice (DNSGP-1), 1987. We conclude that the health status of the Dutch people has undeniably changed during the last 15 years. More people than in 1987 reported having health problems, especially locomotory symptoms, fatigue and sleeping problems. The demand for general practice care has increased, but this has not resulted in an increase in the number of diagnoses. There is a relative increase in the number of conditions of the skin and the locomotory tract presented to the general practitoner (GP), but not of psychosocial problems. (aut. ref.)