Table 4.

Circumstances when GPs would consider, and the symptoms, signs, or history that have prompted them to request ova, cysts, and parasites examination

History, symptom, or sign	Open question Free text (n = 465)	Closed question with tick boxes (n = 458)
	GP would consider, %	GP has requested, %
Recent travel abroad	84	96
Prolonged diarrhoea	30	65
Friends/family/colleagues also ill	10	20
Systemically unwell/fever/pain/suspect severe illness	10	NA
Job – food/farmer/sewage/carer	8	NA
Contact with animals or farm	7	NA
Exposure to untreated water	6	60
Child attending nursery	6	14
Immunosuppressed	3	26
Food poisoning	1	11
Don’t request	5	5

NA = Not applicable as not listed in the closed question.