Sample characteristics of respondents’ primary care visits in the city of Guangzhou among patients with and without a contracted GP before and after PSM
| Total, N (%) | Before PSM | After PSM | |||||
| Contracted GP, N (%) | Not contracted GP, N (%) | P values | Contracted GP, N (%) | Not contracted GP, N (%) | P values | ||
| Sample size | 692 | 94 (13.6) | 598 (86.4) | 94 (50) | 94 (50) | ||
| Gender | |||||||
| Male | 252 (36.4) | 35 (37.2) | 217 (36.3) | 0.908 | 35 (37.2) | 41 (43.6) | 1 |
| Female | 440 (63.6) | 59 (62.8) | 381 (63.7) | 59 (62.8) | 53 (56.4) | ||
| Age | |||||||
| ≤30 | 65 (9.4) | 4 (4.3) | 61 (10.2) | <0.05 | 4 (4.3) | 5 (5.3) | 0.825 |
| 31–60 | 320 (46.2) | 38 (40.4) | 282 (47.2) | 38 (40.4) | 41 (43.6) | ||
| >60 | 307 (44.4) | 52 (55.3) | 255 (42.6) | 52 (55.3) | 48 (51.1) | ||
| Migrant | |||||||
| Yes | 148 (21.4) | 12 (12.8) | 136 (22.7) | <0.05 | 12 (12.8) | 23 (24.5) | 0.06 |
| No | 544 (78.6) | 82 (87.2) | 462 (77.3) | 82 (87.2) | 71 (75.5) | ||
| Household income (¥/month) | |||||||
| <5000 | 239 (34.5) | 26 (27.7) | 213 (35.6) | 0.106 | 26 (27.7) | 30 (31.9) | 0.551 |
| 5000–10 000 | 372 (53.8) | 60 (63.8) | 312 (52.2) | 60 (63.8) | 53 (56.4) | ||
| >10 000 | 81 (11.7) | 8 (8.5) | 73 (12.2) | 8 (8.5) | 11 (11.7) | ||
| Marital status | |||||||
| Not married | 95 (13.7) | 7 (7.4) | 88 (14.7) | 0.074 | 7 (7.4) | 2 (2.1) | 0.169 |
| Married | 597 (86.3) | 87 (92.6) | 510 (85.3) | 87 (92.6) | 92 (97.9) | ||
| Education | |||||||
| Primary school or below | 136 (19.7) | 19 (20.2) | 117 (19.6) | 0.92 | 19 (20.2) | 24 (25.5) | 0.563 |
| Middle/high school | 405 (58.5) | 56 (59.6) | 349 (58.4) | 56 (59.6) | 49 (52.1) | ||
| Bachelor’s degree or above | 151 (21.8) | 19 (20.2) | 132 (22.1) | 19 (20.2) | 21 (22.3) | ||
| Occupation | |||||||
| Employed | 209 (30.2) | 19 (20.2) | 190 (31.8) | <0.05 | 19 (20.2) | 27 (28.7) | 0.235 |
| Unemployed (retired) | 483 (69.8) | 75 (79.8) | 408 (68.2) | 75 (79.8) | 67 (71.3) | ||
| Medical insurance | |||||||
| Yes | 589 (85.1) | 89 (94.7) | 500 (83.6) | <0.01 | 89 (94.7) | 83 (88.3) | 0.19 |
| No | 103 (14.9) | 5 (5.3) | 98 (16.4) | 5 (5.3) | 11 (11.7) | ||
| Period of time since the first visit | |||||||
| Less than 1 year | 56 (8.1) | 9 (9.6) | 47 (7.9) | 0.055 | 9 (9.6) | 5 (5.3) | 0.271 |
| 1–5 years | 172 (24.9) | 14 (14.9) | 158 (26.4) | 14 (14.9) | 21 (22.3) | ||
| More than 5 years | 464 (67.1) | 71 (75.5) | 393 (65.7) | 71 (75.5) | 68 (72.3) | ||
| No of GP visits in the past year | |||||||
| <3 | 132 (19.1) | 10 (10.6) | 122 (20.4) | <0.01 | 10 (10.6) | 10 (10.6) | 0.634 |
| 3–5 | 126 (18.2) | 11 (11.7) | 115 (19.2) | 11 (11.7) | 16 (17) | ||
| 6–15 | 253 (36.6) | 36 (38.3) | 217 (36.3) | 36 (38.3) | 38 (40.4) | ||
| <15 | 181 (26.2) | 37 (39.4) | 144 (24.1) | 37 (39.4) | 30 (31.9) | ||
| Chronic conditions | |||||||
| No | 274 (39.6) | 19 (20.2) | 255 (42.6) | <0.001 | 19 (20.2) | 19 (20.2) | 1 |
| Yes | 418 (60.4) | 75 (79.8) | 343 (57.4) | 75 (79.8) | 75 (79.8) | ||
| Self-perceived health status | |||||||
| Fair/poor | 124 (17.9) | 16 (17) | 108 (18.1) | 0.886 | 16 (17) | 24 (25.5) | 0.212 |
| Good/very good/excellent | 568 (82.1) | 78 (83) | 490 (81.9) | 78 (83) | 70 (74.5) | ||
P values are based on χ2 tests of differences between those who contracted a GP and those who did not.
GP, general practitioner; PSM, propensity score matching.