Religious persuasion and mode of attendance at general practitioner services in the coleraine urban area, Northern Ireland

From the late 1960s to the early 1980s health authorities in Northern Ireland adopted a policy of centralising general practitioners (GPs) into single multi-purpose premises (Health Centres). The result of this policy has been the creation of a distinct system of provision in many towns of the province. In a study of one of these towns, namely Coleraine, consumer utilisation of the service was examined giving particular attention to spatial patterns of behaviour.In this paper the findings on the aspect of “mode of attendance” with regard to doctor registration and religious affiliation will be presented. A distinct religious element is identified in registrations with GPs and is seen to be more pronounced for the Catholic ethnic minority. Further analysis of the Catholic/non-Catholic comparison reveals marked differences between the main Protestant denominations.The paper concludes with a discussion of some of the possible implications this may have for the general practitioner service system and its operation.