• Jorge Soler-González, Catalina Serna Arnáiz, Montserrat Rué Monné, Anna Bosch Gaya, María Cristina Ruiz Magaz, and Javier Gervilla Caño.
• Family Medicine, Rambla de Ferran Health Centre, Lleida, Spain. jorgesolergonzalez@gmail.com
• Aten Primaria. 2008 May 1; 40 (5): 225-31.

ObjectiveTo evaluate and compare the use of the different primary care (PC) services between immigrants and the indigenous population.DesignCross-sectional observation study of a population seen in (PC).SettingPatients seen by 15 PC doctors, in 5 basic health areas (BHA) in the city of Lleida, Spain, from March to August 2005.ParticipantsAll immigrants (1,599 patients of immigrant origin) who seen during the study period were included. A random sample of 300 patients was taken from each of the 15 participating clinics (4,156 autochthonous patients). The autochthonous was considered as those whose country of origin is Spain and the immigrant population those who come from low and medium income countries, regardless of the time of residence in the BHA.Primary MeasurementsAge, sex, type of visit made, and referrals made. Multinomial regression models were used to calculate the relative risk (RR) of having made visits.ResultsImmigrants have a higher probability to make 3 visits than the indigenous population, who would make 1 or 2 visits (RR, 1.23; 95% confidence interval, 1.04-1.91). The estimation of the RR of having made visits is higher in the immigrants for all categories, except nursing.ConclusionsImmigrants who come into contact with PC, make more frequent visits to the family doctor and gynaecology, and also have more complementary tests done. However, the frequency of use of the immigrant group for nursing visits seems to be less.

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