Most people in the United States consult a general physician each year, and some see other subspecialists. However, the proportion of people consulting a general physician who sees adults and children appears to be declining.
Millions of people consult physicians in the United States each year. According to data from the 1997 and 2002 National Health Interview Surveys, in most specialties the number and proportion of adults, children, and pregnant adult women consulting physicians increased over the five-year period1; the number and proportion of persons consulting general physicians who see adults and children are notable exceptions (see accompanying table2).
The proportion of adults who consult with general physicians who see adults and children declined by 3 percent, and the proportion of children declined even further. To the extent that general physicians who see adults and children mostly are family physicians, this finding is consistent with data from other national surveys that reveal a decline in visits to family physicians.3
Persons Who Consulted Physicians in the Preceding 12 Months, 1997 and 2002
| Number of persons (millions) who consulted: | Percentage* of total who consulted: | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A physician | General physicians who see adults and children | General physicians who see adults and children | Genera physicians† | Obstetricians/gynecologists | Other subspecialists | |
| Adults | ||||||
| 1997 | 195 | 80 | 41 | 66 | 23 | 24 |
| 2002 | 206 | 77 | 38 | 67 | 23 | 26 |
| Children | ||||||
| 1997 | 71 | 28 | 39 | 78 | 1 | 12 |
| 2002 | 73 | 23 | 32 | 80 | 1 | 13 |
| Pregnant Adult Women | ||||||
| 1997 | 2 | 0.8 | 36 | 57 | 87 | 15 |
| 2002 | 3 | 0.9 | 35 | 61 | 87 | 17 |
*—Percentages do not total 100 because persons may have seen more than one type of physician during the preceding 12 months.
†—Family physicians, general practitioners, general internists, and general pediatricians.
Information from reference 2.
