Patient Perspectives of Early Interventions for Healthy Ageing in General Practice: A Qualitative Study

ABSTRACT

Objective

As the population ages more people are experiencing chronic conditions, placing substantial burden on the healthcare system. General practice plays a crucial role in managing chronic health conditions and early interventions to support healthy ageing. This study explored patients' perceptions of early intervention initiatives to support healthy ageing in Australian general practice settings.

Methods

Using a qualitative descriptive design, semi‐structured interviews were conducted with general practice patients aged 40 years and older living with chronic conditions, in Adelaide, South Australia. Interview data were analysed using inductive content analysis.

Results

Twenty participants from eight general practices were interviewed. Three themes were developed: (1) General practice consultations enable management planning but show gaps in ageing‐related support; (2) Management plans promote early problem identification, reinforce self‐management and foster positive healthcare relationships; and (3) Addressing gaps in management plans requires improved access, affordability and more comprehensive support.

Conclusions

Patients perceive their general practice enables care and management of chronic conditions for healthy ageing. There is a need for proactive healthy ageing interventions including increased uptake of chronic disease management Medicare Benefit Schedule (MBS) items into routine general practice care. Primary care policies should address multidisciplinary team‐based care to facilitate optimal comprehensive care for healthy ageing. Further exploration and strategies to address barriers to proactive, comprehensive care for chronic conditions earlier in the ageing trajectory are needed.

Policy Impact

Primary care policies should address the barriers to the implementation of early intervention initiatives for healthy ageing. Policy changes can prioritise the identification and intervention of chronic conditions early in the ageing trajectory for more effective self‐management, to prevent complications and maintain overall wellbeing to reduce the burden on the healthcare system.

Practice Impact

Primary care networks and practices can enable general practices to routinely implement early chronic conditions initiatives, including management plans, which facilitate positive relationships between patients and their healthcare teams to support proactive approaches to healthy ageing. There is a need for continued person‐centred, multidisciplinary, comprehensive primary care for healthy ageing.

1. Introduction

With Australia's ageing population, the number of people with chronic conditions is expected to rise [1]. It is estimated that 51%–75% of the Australian population has at least one chronic condition [2, 3]. In middle‐age (defined as 45–64 years), 30% of the population has one chronic disease, and a further 30% live with multiple chronic conditions (defined as two or more chronic conditions) [4]. Chronic conditions are associated with adverse outcomes, including disability, functional decline, higher healthcare costs and reduced quality of life [5, 6, 7, 8, 9]. This places a substantial burden on the healthcare system, particularly primary care [2, 10].

The World Health Organization defines Healthy Ageing as ‘the process of developing and maintaining the functional ability that enables wellbeing in older age’ [11]. Primary care, particularly general practice (GP), is well‐placed to support healthy ageing by proactively managing chronic conditions through targeted interventions such as risk management, functional ability assessments, medicine management and multidisciplinary referrals [12, 13, 14]. However, an increased focus on early preventative care is essential to mitigate the adverse consequences of chronic conditions as people age. Effective care for older adults with chronic conditions should include multidisciplinary, comprehensive health care, involving patient‐centred care, shared decision‐making and self‐management [13]. A systematic approach to caring for older adults with chronic conditions can include discussing the purpose of care, establishing disease and treatment burden, opportunistically screening for medical conditions, establishing patient goals and priorities, reviewing medicines and other treatments, and individualised care planning [15]. Despite the need for comprehensive and preventative care for chronic disease management to support healthy ageing, [13, 15] there is a gap in literature reporting the patient perspectives of early intervention for proactive chronic health management [16]. Qualitative studies have reported primary care patients' experiences of general practice care; [14] however, there is further need to understand the general practice patient perspectives of intervening earlier in the ageing trajectory to inform proactive approaches to address chronic conditions.

Early intervention for healthy ageing focusses on identifying and proactively managing preventative health issues, promoting timely care and ensuring comprehensive management of chronic conditions [17]. The Australian Government‐funded Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) items such as General Practitioner Management Plans (GPMPs), Team Care Arrangements (TCAs) and Medication Management Reviews (MMRs) enable GP coordination of health care for patients with chronic conditions [17, 18]. Despite the demonstrated benefits of GP management of chronic conditions, the uptake of MBS items for early intervention, preventative care to middle and older ageing Australians is insufficient [17]. Essential elements to support healthy ageing within primary care include clear communication to facilitate health‐related conversations and assessments of patient understanding and patient‐friendly health information resources [19]. Previous studies suggest many patients receive suboptimal quality of care and associated outcomes for chronic conditions to promote healthy ageing in general practice in Australia [20]. There is a need to explore the patient perspective of receiving general practitioner (GP)‐led care for healthy ageing to enhance the current evidence base and guide future implementation of early interventions for healthy ageing within Australian general practices.

This paper presents qualitative findings on patient perspectives from a larger cohort study examining the implementation of early intervention initiatives for healthy ageing in primary care. The early intervention initiatives included quality improvement processes within 10 general practices in Adelaide, Australia, aimed at increasing the uptake of MBS items, particularly for management planning, team care arrangements, case conferencing, education and early screening of cognitive changes, frailty screening and management for patients aged 40–70 years with chronic health conditions. A subset of patients from the participating general practices was interviewed about their experiences with these early intervention initiatives. Gaining a deeper understanding into patient perspectives of targeted interventions to promote proactive uptake of MBS items for chronic health conditions will support effective implementation of strategies that promote healthy ageing for the Australian population.

The aim of this study was to explore patients' experiences of early intervention initiatives for healthy ageing in GP settings.

2. Methods

2.1. Design

This study used a qualitative descriptive approach, allowing for flexibility and applicability in diverse healthcare contexts [21, 22]. Qualitative description was selected to facilitate pragmatic descriptions of participants' healthcare experiences and perceptions [21, 22]. Qualitative description informed straightforward representation of the findings aligned with the research aims with flexibility in theoretical principles guiding the study design and purposeful sampling [22, 23]. The consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ) checklist [24] were used to ensure accurate reporting of the study findings. Ethics approval was provided by the Flinders University Human Research Ethics Committee (application no: 6132).

2.2. Participants and Setting

Participants included were aged over 40 years, a current patient at one of the 10 participating general practices, able to speak English and provide informed consent. Participants were purposely sampled from 10 urban general practices in metropolitan Adelaide, Australia. General practice staff external to the research team invited patients to be involved in the larger cohort study (involving clinical outcome assessments) and sought permission to be contacted by the research team. Patients were then contacted by a researcher who provided an information sheet about the larger cohort study and gained written consent. Participants involved in the larger cohort study could indicate their willingness to also participate in an optional voluntary interview. For this qualitative study, patients from the larger cohort study who indicated willingness to be interviewed were then contacted by the first author, who provided information with emphasis that participation was voluntary. Written consent was gained before the interviews commenced.

2.3. Data Collection

Semi‐structured interviews were conducted to gain rich descriptions, perspectives and experiences of participants [23]. An interview guide (File S1) was developed by the research team, based on their content and methodological expertise, and reviewed and confirmed prior to data collection. Demographic and health information were also collected. Interviews occurred between December 2023 and April 2024. During this time frame, general practices were implementing quality improvement processes for the uptake of MBS items to support early intervention, proactive chronic health management for patients aged 40–70 years, as part of the larger cohort study. Interviews were conducted by the first author (HB), a researcher experienced in qualitative methodologies. Interviews were conducted at a time convenient to participants, either face to face or via telephone. Interviews lasted 40 min, and participants received a A$50 gift card for their participation. All interviews were audio‐recorded and professionally transcribed.

2.4. Data Analysis

Inductive content analysis [25] was employed to guide the coding process and to identify themes with relevant quotes extracted. Transcriptions, recordings and field notes were utilised for the analysis, which was carried out between June and August 2024. The content analysis [25] involved an inductive analytical, data‐driven approach, with the process outlined in Table 1 describing the descriptive exploration of data by the research team. A codebook was updated iteratively to monitor data saturation and was then used to analyse dominant codes to derive and describe themes [26]. To enhance inter‐coder reliability, both authors undertaking coding met regularly to discuss coding consistency. During open coding and grouping phases, all decisions were cross‐referenced against the codebook to ensure alignment in interpretation of the codes. Saturation was assessed retrospectively through interpretive judgement [26] focussing on the emergence of dominant codes. Saturation was met following the analysis of 16 data sets, with four additional interviews conducted to ensure adequacy. Transcripts were not formally validated; however, participants were provided with a summary of findings during data analysis, and no disagreement or feedback was received from participants.

TABLE 1.

The content analysis process undertaken by the authors.

Steps	Description
Familiarisation with the data	HB facilitated all interviews face to face or via telephone. HB then read and re‐read transcripts for a thorough overview of the data set.
Open coding	HB and ML independently conducted inductive coding in Microsoft Excel. A codebook was developed and iteratively refined to reflect emerging codes and themes. Codes were assigned to sections of text relating to participants' experience of support received, GP/primary care consultations and interventions for healthy ageing, how helpful or unhelpful the healthy ageing interventions were, and areas for improvements or future directions. To ensure coding reliability and approach to saturation, HB reviewed ML's initial coding, referred closely to the codebook, and met with ML to discuss and align interpretations.
Grouping codes into categories	Codes were then grouped into categories to capture participants described experiences. Codes and categories were then reviewed by HB and ML, against the codebook to identify patterns in the data.
Abstraction	HB and ML moved from generating specific codes to more general representations of the data, based on the participants' descriptions.
Developing descriptive summaries	Once all coding and categorising had been undertaken, authors (HB, ML, SG) met as a group to develop descriptive summaries using an iterative, consensus decision‐making process, referring to the illustrative quotations.
Reviewing and refining themes	All authors met as a group to define and name each theme, refining how the themes aid the understanding of the data based on the research question.
Representation of findings	All authors reviewed the themes and subthemes, confirming the themes accurately represented the data.
Validation	All authors validated the interpretation of the results with selection of exemplar extracts for final analysis, relating the findings back to the research question (refer to File S2).

3. Results

Twenty participants from eight general practices participated in interviews. Eight interviews were conducted via telephone, and 12 were conducted face to face. One face‐to‐face interview was conducted with two participants who were related and preferred a joint interview. Mean age of participants was 63.8 years (SD = 7.9) and 55% (n = 11) were female. The mean number of chronic conditions reported by participants was 4.9 (SD = 3.7). Details on participant demographics and health information are outlined in Table 2.

TABLE 2.

Participant demographics and health information.

Participant demographics
Gender (n, %)
Male	9, 45
Female	11, 55
Age (Mean, SD)	63.8, 7.9
Interview format (n, %)
In person	12, 60
Telephone	8, 40
Duration of interviews (Median, IQR)	37 min (25–51 min)
Participant health information (self‐reported)
Number of chronic conditions (Mean, SD)	4.9, 3.7
Had GP‐led case conferencing (n, %)	2, 20
Had GP management plan (n, %)	20, 100
Reported GP management plan was helpful (n, %)	18, 90
Receives formal supports or services in the home (n, %)	6, 30
GP asked about memory or had memory test (n, %)	8, 40
GP asked about frailty or had frailty assessment (n, %)	4, 20
Had home medication review (n, %)	5, 25

Three themes were developed from the analysis: (1) General practice consultations enable management planning but show gaps in ageing‐related support; (2) Management plans promote early problem identification, reinforce self‐management and foster positive healthcare relationships; and (3) Addressing gaps in management plans requires better access, affordability and comprehensive support. Themes, subthemes, codes and quotes are available in File S2. Each participant has been assigned a study ID number assigned to their quotes. Study ID numbers were assigned as part of participation in the broader research; therefore, ID numbers extend beyond numbers Pt001–Pt020.

3.1. General Practice Consultations Enable Management Planning but Show Gaps in Ageing‐Related Interventions and Support

In exploring the specific interventions received during GP consultations, all participants confirmed that they had a GP management plan in place. This management plan served as a tool for managing their health. Participants expressed support for management plans, with most (17/20) indicating that they would recommend a management plan to others. One participant emphasised the importance of management plans being a standard part of health care, stating, ‘that should be the standard … it shouldn't be something that they should be looking to do specially for anybody, it should be the same for everybody’ (Pt001). Another participant shared how the introduction of a management plan improved their experience, noting, ‘I think because I did notice the change, like a few years back suddenly it was a health plan, a management plan … So everything I need is done, yeah’ (Pt025).

Having a management plan enabled collaboration with other health professionals through case conferencing, thus providing reassurance to some. One participant commented:

I like the reassurance that is there in place because if I did become unwell, I know that systems [are] in place and they can do the case conferencing and they can do whatever they need to do if specialists have to come in; so I do like that. (Pt030)

However, not all participants found the management plan helpful, when asked whether the management plan aided in treating their chronic conditions (e.g., Pt003). Other participants highlighted the motivational aspect of having a management plan (e.g., ‘you just feel like you're getting on the right track, you can't just ignore things. If you want to make yourself feel better, you need to follow through’, Pt019).

Despite the presence of management plans, most participants (17/20) were unsure whether case conferencing had occurred as part of their routine care, for example, ‘I have had case conferences, but they have actually been related to work cover’ (Pt033). The lack of clarity extended to other areas of care; for example, many participants were either unsure or had not received a home medication review. Similarly, screening for frailty was either not completed or left participants uncertain, with 13 participants reporting their GP had not discussed their likelihood of frailty. One participant explained, ‘no, there's never been a discussion around what I need to do to stay well and healthy. I think I'm pretty in tune with that’ (Pt021). Another participant, who was asked about strategies for managing frailty (such as physical activity, socialising, diet changes) responded, ‘no, I mean they [GP] ask me if I want to, but I don't’ (Pt036). Additionally, screening for memory issues was reported as under‐discussed, with 11 participants being unsure if their GP had completed memory screening questions with them, although eight participants did confirm that memory issues had been discussed: ‘Yes I've asked about that (memory issues) a few times, and they do a quick test, yes I think that's another thing she did yeah and I was okay’ (Pt022).

3.2. Management Plans Promote Early Problem Identification, Reinforce Self‐Management and Foster Positive Healthcare Relationships

Participants highlighted several advantages of having a GP management plan. One of the most frequently mentioned benefits was the ability of management plans to enable referrals to necessary services and supports, as noted by nearly half of the participants (9/20). This ability to connect patients with additional resources was seen as crucial for managing complex health needs effectively. For example, one participant expressed appreciation for how their management plan facilitated access to other professionals or specialists: ‘yeah, that initiative [has] actually bought, you know, people who are unable to afford or access specialists [allied health professionals], so I think that's fantastic, yeah, I think that's brilliant’ (Pt027). Another participant shared a similar sentiment, stating, ‘if I need the ultrasounds and injections, cortisone injections, you know, [my GP will] refer you really quickly’ (Pt018).

Additionally, management plans were valued for fostering more regular and consistent contact with healthcare teams (9/20):

When I go and see the nurse, I tell the nurse what I'm going to go see the doctor for and she does weigh me and does my blood sugar and blood pressure and stuff. So, she sort of pre‐arms him with information that doesn't waste his time so it's good because then you don't feel like you're taking up time with the doctor. (Pt003)

Participants appreciated the structured follow‐ups and ongoing communication, which helped them stay engaged with their health management. One participant described the efficiency and reassurance this regular contact provided: ‘yeah, see the doctor [GP] every three months … and I just find that it's very efficient, and it's good to know that everything's being addressed that needs to be addressed’ (Pt025). Another advantage noted by participants (8/20) was how management plans reinforced self‐management activities (e.g., ‘you just feel like you're getting on the right track, you can't just ignore things. If you want to make yourself feel better, you need to follow through’, Pt019). Management plans also played a role in facilitating positive relationships between patients and their healthcare teams (7/20). The ongoing communication and collaboration fostered trust and rapport, making patients feel more comfortable and supported.

Timely access to support during worsening health situations was another benefit highlighted by some participants (5/20). Participants also noted that management plans enabled better continuity of care (4/20) by ensuring that all medical information, including test results and medications, was organised and easily accessible (e.g., ‘well firstly all your notes are all in the one place. Anything that you've had done can be all located quite easily in the one place’, Pt021).

Participants identified several key characteristics that define a ‘good’ management plan and the nature of interactions with healthcare professionals. More than half of participants (13/20) emphasised the importance of building trusting relationships with healthcare providers. Trust was seen as a cornerstone of effective care, as one participant shared, ‘I think the level of service and the professionalism I've received from [general practice organisation] in relation to my physical, seeing my GP I've got nothing but praise for … but if I had a local practice that bulk billed or close to bulk billed and someone I could trust, in other words a professional I could trust’ (Pt027). This trust was reinforced by long‐term relationships and consistent, positive interactions with healthcare providers:

I think I've had a really good run with my doctors; they've always been very nice and really good. (Pt027)

Active listening by healthcare professionals was another critical component mentioned by participants (7/20). Patients valued when their concerns were heard and taken seriously, whether they were discussing medical issues or broader aspects of their lives. This empathetic communication helped create a more personalised and responsive management plan.

Participants underscored the importance and benefits of early healthy ageing initiatives facilitated by management plans. Several participants (9/20) noted that management plans enabled them to identify and address health problems early, which they viewed as crucial for preventing complications and maintaining overall wellbeing (e.g., ‘just information I suppose is the best to avoid getting these conditions; I mean avoidance is – or preventative actually is better than a cure’ (Pt015)). Additionally, participants (5/20) mentioned that management plans prompted them to take action early, whether it was seeking additional medical advice, adjusting their lifestyle, or adhering to prescribed treatments. This proactive approach was seen as empowering, as it encouraged individuals to engage more actively with their health. One participant highlighted this proactive mindset, explaining:

That is the main aim of it is that early intervention, early diagnosed, keep on top of it as best as you can. If there's something that needs to be looked at, get that initial start going, and keep at it. Don't just say, oh well we've done it, now we see what happens in 12, or 18 months' time. (Pt001)

Furthermore, three participants highlighted that management plans gave them the ability to take control of their health and care.

3.3. Addressing Gaps in Management Plans Requires Better Access, Affordability and Comprehensive Support

While management plans were generally well‐regarded by participants, several disadvantages were identified, highlighting areas where improvements could be made. One of the most mentioned issues was the long wait times for GP appointments and specialists, cited by half of the participants (10/20). These delays were a significant source of frustration, as they often led to prolonged waiting periods. One participant described the difficulty of accessing timely specialist appointments, stating, ‘it's all very well for the GP to say go and do this, but then you have to wait for 6 or 8 months or 2 years to get that thing to happen’ (Pt003). Another participant shared their experience of not being able to see their preferred GP when needed, which sometimes forced them to see another available provider: ‘if it's urgent, possibly it doesn't matter … but it won't be the one I want to see, it will just be someone’ (Pt022), with some participants sharing the challenges in accessing a GP: ‘it's getting harder to see a doctor when you actually need to, unless you've got the money to pay for it’ (Pt046).

A common concern was the presence of gaps in fees or costs associated with GP visits (6/20 participants). These gaps made accessing certain services or treatments more difficult, particularly for those on limited incomes: ‘every time someone has, wants to charge you something it adds up … if you're getting older … you're going to have to make choices … who you can afford to see’ (Pt046).

Participants identified several areas for improvement and future directions in the management of their care. One significant concern was the timely management of injuries and acute episodes, with some participants expressing the need for quicker attention to these issues to prevent complications. One participant highlighted the potential role of nurse practitioners in addressing this need, stating:

I don't know whether it can be looked at in another way because of the GP shortage, whether you have more nurse practitioners … One of the nurses said do you know if you do have one [UTI] … just ring and bring it into one of the nurses, we'll test it and then we'll just phone the doctor and get you the script. Little things like that. (Pt030)

Another area for improvement mentioned by participants was the need for better access to specialist expertise. Participants felt that their care would benefit from more readily available consultations with specialists, ensuring that complex or specific health concerns were addressed by the appropriate professionals. The need for more streamlined and integrated services was also emphasised by participants, with some suggesting that reducing bureaucratic hurdles and simplifying processes would make accessing care easier and less stressful. One participant envisioned a more integrated approach, stating:

I think it's up to the GPs … maybe they could have GPs who specialise in certain areas within one of those big practices so they could refer to each other … They could collect contacts for various volunteer organisations … Someone could organise, like a really big practice might even be able to organise something like that. (Pt001)

Participants also called for better interprofessional communication, with a few emphasising the importance of having reminders about discussing or reviewing management plans. The involvement of nurses or allied health professionals in leading or contributing to management planning was also recommended. Some participants identified other specific areas for improvement, such as more time for healthcare professionals to talk with patients and create management plans, access to mental health support, better access to home services (meals and gardening), accessible community‐based supports, and improved affordability.

4. Discussion

This study explored patients' experiences of early intervention initiatives for healthy ageing in GP settings in Adelaide, Australia. Participants predominantly reported receiving GPMPs to support their chronic condition management for healthy ageing, with limited experiences of case conferencing, memory and frailty assessments and medication reviews. Despite the availability of these services in GPs, uptake remained inconsistent, aligning with previous studies that have indicated uptake of GPMP MBS items is suboptimal [17]. These findings emphasise the need for further targeted healthy ageing interventions for increased uptake of MBS items, including the identification of cognitive impairment, risk of frailty and medication reviews. From July 2025, major changes in the MBS framework for chronic disease management took effect, with the aim to streamline team care arrangements for health professionals and simplify and structure approach to patient care [27].

We found that patients perceive GPs as facilitating care planning that supports early identification of health issues, reinforces treatment strategies and promotes self‐management of chronic conditions. These findings are supported by evidence for chronic disease and self‐management support for healthy ageing in primary care to improve health outcomes [13, 28, 29].

Patients experienced positive interactions when they report having rapport and trust with their GP, as supported by previous Australian research that found patients consider the interpersonal skills of primary care providers, such as listening and other communication skills, to be as important as clinical skills [13]. General practice patients perceive clear communication, rapport and trusting relationships can facilitate health‐related conversations and assessments can support patient‐centred care for healthy ageing [14, 19].

Patients' concerns about better access and affordability were highlighted from our data. Particularly for disadvantaged populations, who experience a high level of chronic condition burden, limited access and affordability are barriers for the uptake of evidence‐based comprehensive management of chronic conditions in primary care [14, 29]. Access barriers in GP need to be addressed at a practice and policy level to support people with chronic conditions for improved patient experience of accessing care [14].

The World Health Organization's Decade of Healthy Ageing advocates for good‐quality preventative health services that focus on person‐centred, integrated care to maintain functional ability and well‐being for older people [30]. There is a need for continued, optimal quality, chronic health‐care planning for healthy ageing in GP settings in Australia [20]. Despite the growing evidence for comprehensive management of chronic conditions (including self‐management support) to be integrated into routine primary care [28, 29] further implementation research is needed to promote the sustained uptake of proactive, early healthy ageing initiatives within GPs in Australia. The Australian GP context is varied in staffing, care planning and coordination, support and education processes across practices [14]. Further understanding of the known contextual implementation barriers to be addressed can optimise GPs' implementation of comprehensive management of chronic conditions for healthy ageing [13, 31].

Comprehensive, proactive, preventative care for chronic conditions involves multidisciplinary team‐based care [32, 33]. Allied health interventions can significantly improve health outcomes for people with chronic conditions, particularly when delivered consistently [34]. Primary care nurses provide effective care, longer consultations than GPs and support lifestyle intervention in cost‐effective ways [35]. Primary care nurses play a significant role in supporting preventative care for the ageing population with chronic conditions [35]. Nurses should be utilised to their full scope in delivering effective and cost‐effective primary healthcare services for chronic disease management to support healthy ageing [35]. Additionally, there is a need to optimise multidisciplinary team‐based care within GP contexts to support the ageing Australian population. The Australian Government's ‘Strengthening Medicare’ reform aims to build coordinated care through multidisciplinary teams with primary care practices [36] to meet the increasingly health needs of older people with chronic conditions [36]. This study's findings emphasise the need for ‘Strengthening Medicare’ reform, whereby general practices can improve access and continuity of care and support multidisciplinary care [36] with consideration for resourcing, infrastructure, integration, coordination and communication to ensure sustainability of multidisciplinary teams embedded with general practices. This study has highlighted the importance of care planning with early intervention for healthy ageing in primary care. Embedded proactive, comprehensive, earlier intervention for age‐related chronic conditions in primary care may contribute to improving health outcomes of individuals as they age, and subsequently reduce the pressures on the health system [37].

The findings align with global priorities that support the need for early intervention and healthy ageing in primary care. Proactive, multidisciplinary models of integrated care to support healthy ageing have been implemented in countries such as New Zealand, Canada and the United Kingdom [32, 33, 38]. Australian primary health care may benefit from the translation of these international models to the Australian context; however, this will require a competent workforce, appropriate legislation and sufficient sustainable funding [30].

This study focussed on the perspectives of patients. Our larger program of work also involved a concurrent exploration of primary care professionals' perspectives of early interventions for healthy ageing in primary care (to be reported elsewhere). Future opportunity for comprehensive, integrated healthy ageing initiatives requires investigation of multisystem contextual barriers, such as infrastructure, funding incentives, systems and training [39]. A coordinated approach is required in implementing these elements within existing and new health service models to enhance uptake and sustainability of early healthy ageing initiatives in GP and primary care settings [39].

5. Strengths and Limitations

This study demonstrated several strengths in feasibly recruiting GP patients for interviews, with robust qualitative methodology, providing a novel perspective from GP patient experiences about early interventions for healthy ageing. Despite the strength of this study design, some limitations need to be acknowledged. General practice staff identified potential participants for involvement in this qualitative study; this was a limitation relating to selection bias for the sample. The participants were sampled from a larger program of research focussed on early interventions for healthy ageing; thus, participants may have been more likely to be engaged in the research, more communicative or have better relationships with their GP staff than those who were not willing to be interviewed. This selection bias may limit the generalisability of the results. The findings were related to the patient perspectives of early intervention; however, they are likely to be related to other aspects of primary care and chronic disease management more broadly. A further limitation of this study was the lack of representation from specific population groups experiencing disadvantage in health outcomes, particularly those who are from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander patient groups. People from socio‐economic disadvantage and diverse backgrounds often face disproportionate rates of chronic conditions, with inequities in accessing preventative healthcare in Australia [40]. These disparities are common among early ageing Australians and highlight the need to include the perspectives of people facing socio‐economic disadvantage in research, healthcare provision and policy [40]. Further research is needed to understand the health care professionals' perspectives of implementing healthy ageing initiatives for older Australians in primary care.

6. Conclusions

An understanding of the experiences of GP patients for early interventions for healthy ageing has been gained in this study. The themes identified may be helpful in informing patient‐centred GP care and continued comprehensive care planning for healthy ageing. Barriers reported by patients related to access and affordability. There is a need for further exploration of implementing early healthy ageing initiatives in primary care to inform current and future practice and policy recommendations.

Funding

This work was supported by funding from the Adelaide Primary Health Network through the Australian Government's Primary Health Network Program.

Ethics Statement

This study received ethics approval from the Flinders University Human Research Ethics Committee, reference number: 6132.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Supporting information

File S1: Semi‐structured question guide.

File S2: Themes, subthemes, codes and quotes used for data analysis.

Block H., Lawless M., Stevens A., Exley H., and George S., “Patient Perspectives of Early Interventions for Healthy Ageing in General Practice: A Qualitative Study,” Australasian Journal on Ageing 45, no. 1 (2026): e70132, 10.1111/ajag.70132.

Data Availability Statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author. The data are not publicly available due to privacy or ethical restrictions.