Age-sex registers as a screening tool for general practice: size of the wrong address problem. Issue 6442 (18th August 1984)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Silman, A J
• Is Part Of: BMJ. Volume 289:Issue 6442(1984)
• Page Start: 415
• Page End: 416
• Publication Date: 1984-08-18
• Subjects: Medicine -- Periodicals; Medicine -- Periodicals; Medicine; Periodicals; 610
• DOI: 10.1136/bmj.289.6442.415
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0007-1447

Abstract

Abstract : Age-sex registers were compiled and updated for the east London general practices participating in a screening study for hypertension. Of 1435 addresses in the registers of two practices that were checked, 228 (16%) were incorrect, according to the return by the post office of the screening invitations and checking the addresses of the non-responders using telephone directories and the medical records. The non-responders to the screening invitation for whom a new address was not found, were visited at the address as recorded on the age-sex register. This showed that the true address error rate from the original age-sex registers was 26% and thus substantially greater than that calculated from returned letters. It is concluded that the non-acceptance rate of screening in general practice might be exaggerated as a result of the lack of a correct address for a substantial proportion of the patients on a general practice list.