Table 1.

Characteristics of participating patients

Participant code	Income Group	Education	Age	Sex	Chronic disease	Marital Status
With family doctor
5	5	Tertiary	27	M	R	Married
9	5	Tertiary	56	M	B, D, H, S	Married
11	4	Tertiary	23	F	R	Single
12	4	Tertiary	43	F	B, C	Married
13	4	Secondary	47	F	C, R	Married
14	4	Secondary	29	F	B	Married
7	3	Secondary	47	M	R	Divorced
2	2	Primary	63	F	H	Married
8	retired	Tertiary	80	M	H, S	Married
10	NA	Tertiary	52	M	H	Single
With regular doctor but not family doctor
20	6	Tertiary	43	M	C	Married
21	6	Tertiary	43	F	B	Married
18	6	Secondary	40	F	B	Married
22	5	Secondary	50	F	E	Married
6	3	Tertiary	33	M	B	Married
16	3	Tertiary	26	M	B, R	Single
1	3	Nil	75	M	D, H	Married
17	2	Primary	70	M	H	Married
19	2	Primary	47	F	B, E	Divorced
15	NA	Primary	60	F	B	Divorced
With no regular doctor
26	4	Secondary	62	F	B	Married
23	3	Secondary	70	M	H	Widowed
25	3	Secondary	48	F	C, H, S	Divorced
27	3	Primary	47	F	B	Married
4	2	Primary	76	F	H	Widowed
3	2	Nil	78	F	D	Widowed
24	1	Primary	72	F	B	Widowed
28	NA	Secondary	51	M	H, S	Married

Key

income (in HK$): chronic conditions:

6: > 40000 B-musculoskeletal

5: 30000 - 40000 C - heart disease

4: 20000 - 30000 D - diabetes

3: 10000 - 20000 E - hyperthyroidism

2: 5000 - 10000 H - hypertension

1: < 5000 R - respiratory problems

NA: refused to answer S - minor stroke