Table 2.
Characteristics of participating general practitioners
| Characteristic | HGPs (N=97) | NHGPs (N=100) | p-value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clinical experience, years, mean ±SD | 28 ± 7.3 | 21 ± 11.9 | 0.01a | |
| Work time (n (%)) | 50 to 99% of the time | 28 (29) | 12 (12) | 0.003b |
| 100%—full time | 69 (71) | 88 (88) | ||
| Reimbursement sector of activity (n (%))c | Sector 1 (regulated “fixed fee”) | 50 (52) | 88 (88) | <0.01b |
| Sector 2 (unregulated “free-billing”) | 45 (45) | 12 (12) | ||
| Other | 2 (2) | 0 (0) | ||
| % of prescriptions with homeopathic medicines (mean ± SD) | 88 ± 12.6 | 18 ± 23.2 | <0.0a | |
| Number of consultations where supportive cancer care is addressed per month (mean ± SD) | 19 ± 37.6. | 16 ± 16.7 | 0.54a | |
ap-value determined by Student’s t-test
bp-value determined by Chi-square test
cGPs in sector 1 provide services and are reimbursed on the basis of regulated/statutory national tariffs; in sector 2, GPs can set their own fees for treatment and can claim for additional items of service
N, total number of practitioners completing the questionnaire; n, number of practitioners with each characteristic; SD, standard deviation