Skip to main content

Main menu

  • Home
  • Current Issue
  • Content
    • Current Issue
    • Early Access
    • Multimedia
    • Podcast
    • Collections
    • Past Issues
    • Articles by Subject
    • Articles by Type
    • Supplements
    • Plain Language Summaries
    • Calls for Papers
  • Info for
    • Authors
    • Reviewers
    • Job Seekers
    • Media
  • About
    • Annals of Family Medicine
    • Editorial Staff & Boards
    • Sponsoring Organizations
    • Copyrights & Permissions
    • Announcements
  • Engage
    • Engage
    • e-Letters (Comments)
    • Subscribe
    • Podcast
    • E-mail Alerts
    • Journal Club
    • RSS
    • Annals Forum (Archive)
  • Contact
    • Contact Us
  • Careers

User menu

  • My alerts

Search

  • Advanced search
Annals of Family Medicine
  • My alerts
Annals of Family Medicine

Advanced Search

  • Home
  • Current Issue
  • Content
    • Current Issue
    • Early Access
    • Multimedia
    • Podcast
    • Collections
    • Past Issues
    • Articles by Subject
    • Articles by Type
    • Supplements
    • Plain Language Summaries
    • Calls for Papers
  • Info for
    • Authors
    • Reviewers
    • Job Seekers
    • Media
  • About
    • Annals of Family Medicine
    • Editorial Staff & Boards
    • Sponsoring Organizations
    • Copyrights & Permissions
    • Announcements
  • Engage
    • Engage
    • e-Letters (Comments)
    • Subscribe
    • Podcast
    • E-mail Alerts
    • Journal Club
    • RSS
    • Annals Forum (Archive)
  • Contact
    • Contact Us
  • Careers
  • Follow annalsfm on Twitter
  • Visit annalsfm on Facebook
Research ArticleOriginal Research

The Inverse Care Law: Clinical Primary Care Encounters in Deprived and Affluent Areas of Scotland

Stewart W. Mercer and Graham C. M. Watt
The Annals of Family Medicine November 2007, 5 (6) 503-510; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1370/afm.778
Stewart W. Mercer
MBChB, PhD
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Graham C. M. Watt
MBChB, MD
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • Article
  • Figures & Data
  • eLetters
  • Info & Metrics
  • PDF
Loading

Article Information

vol. 5 no. 6 503-510
DOI 
https://doi.org/10.1370/afm.778
PubMed 
18025487

Published By 
The Annals of Family Medicine
Print ISSN 
1544-1709
Online ISSN 
1544-1717
History 
  • Received for publication February 14, 2007
  • Revision received July 24, 2007
  • Accepted for publication July 27, 2007
  • Published online November 19, 2007.

Copyright & Usage 
© 2007 Annals of Family Medicine, Inc.

Author Information

  1. Stewart W. Mercer, MBChB, PhD and
  2. Graham C. M. Watt, MBChB, MD
  1. General Practice and Primary Care, Division of Community-Based Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland
  1. CORRESPONDING AUTHOR: Stewart W. Mercer, MBChB, PhD, General Practice and Primary Care, Division of Community-Based Sciences, University of Glasgow, 1 Horselethill Rd, Glasgow G12 9LX Scotland, sm83z{at}clinmed.gla.ac.uk

Statistics from Altmetric.com

Article usage

Article usage: November 2007 to April 2025

AbstractFullPdf
Nov 200783420172
Dec 20075316077
Jan 20088111980
Feb 2008364934
Mar 2008364445
Apr 2008383642
May 2008486259
Jun 2008303116
Jul 2008484329
Aug 2008314019
Sep 200824229
Oct 2008463631
Nov 2008302524
Dec 2008273619
Jan 2009302320
Feb 2009292220
Mar 2009264043
Apr 2009252931
May 2009291919
Jun 2009311316
Jul 2009321012
Aug 2009281521
Sep 2009251124
Oct 2009462027
Nov 2009621645
Dec 2009531225
Jan 2010631423
Feb 2010501239
Mar 2010601535
Apr 2010592328
May 2010885462
Jun 2010521921
Jul 2010241829
Aug 2010281615
Sep 2010411620
Oct 2010491119
Nov 2010502014
Dec 2010381714
Jan 2011321217
Feb 2011391520
Mar 2011643126
Apr 2011531318
May 2011742022
Jun 2011471517
Jul 2011411618
Aug 201128514
Sep 2011461218
Oct 2011541013
Nov 2011733018
Dec 2011541317
Jan 2012712011
Feb 2012821127
Mar 2012872015
Apr 2012663825
May 2012712930
Jun 2012422717
Jul 2012641718
Aug 2012781724
Sep 2012632022
Oct 2012951326
Nov 20121042635
Dec 2012882722
Jan 2013891718
Feb 2013761422
Mar 2013871129
Apr 2013982028
May 20131401930
Jun 20131041034
Jul 201328523
Aug 2013301127
Sep 2013311820
Oct 201364920
Nov 2013621728
Dec 201332420
Jan 2014461922
Feb 2014341728
Mar 2014391429
Apr 2014702545
May 2014561137
Jun 201435427
Jul 201428521
Aug 201425813
Sep 2014381725
Oct 2014521724
Nov 2014451722
Dec 2014641231
Jan 2015281911
Feb 201548919
Mar 2015682122
Apr 2015541618
May 2015402422
Jun 20157865
Jul 2015351214
Aug 201530187
Sep 2015421216
Oct 201548611
Nov 20152677
Dec 20155159
Jan 2016471512
Feb 2016456211
Mar 2016351818
Apr 201624135
May 201633137
Jun 201636138
Jul 2016741222
Aug 2016301320
Sep 201634716
Oct 201644813
Nov 2016521114
Dec 20165137
Jan 201749109
Feb 2017531813
Mar 2017701813
Apr 2017733218
May 20171307215
Jun 2017683115
Jul 201732209
Aug 201768297
Sep 201736136
Oct 2017771414
Nov 2017792111
Dec 2017471111
Jan 201841714
Feb 2018372710
Mar 201854228
Apr 201884198
May 2018772312
Jun 2018442611
Jul 201828108
Aug 2018914614
Sep 2018541817
Oct 201861921
Nov 2018622516
Dec 2018642117
Jan 2019663622
Feb 2019713613
Mar 2019701124
Apr 201953821
May 2019551317
Jun 201925526
Jul 201941533
Aug 2019401824
Sep 2019581242
Oct 2019691638
Nov 2019851316
Dec 201967628
Jan 20201583523
Feb 2020491415
Mar 2020531317
Apr 2020291017
May 2020293519
Jun 2020203626
Jul 2020202918
Aug 2020145728
Sep 2020187939
Oct 2020506056
Nov 2020374747
Dec 202094317
Jan 2021285639
Feb 2021205535
Mar 20213811343
Apr 2021388740
May 2021366740
Jun 2021389748
Jul 2021159023
Aug 2021204523
Sep 2021248625
Oct 2021339859
Nov 20212710438
Dec 2021536649
Jan 2022276438
Feb 2022346036
Mar 2022246447
Apr 20222013263
May 20223013966
Jun 2022814330
Jul 2022213321
Aug 2022128620
Sep 2022258146
Oct 20225510045
Nov 2022469339
Dec 20223611426
Jan 20234414334
Feb 20233412225
Mar 2023325332
Apr 2023215731
May 2023273925
Jun 2023255123
Jul 2023195726
Aug 2023266626
Sep 20232510521
Oct 2023338327
Nov 20232715024
Dec 20233715510
Jan 20247115929
Feb 20243515515
Mar 20242218338
Apr 20243534730
May 2024658623
Jun 2024106219
Jul 2024177620
Aug 2024119915
Sep 202486312
Oct 2024353918
Nov 202475311
Dec 2024105514
Jan 2025135426
Feb 20251032815
Mar 20252217733
Apr 20251616225
PreviousNext
Back to top

In this issue

The Annals of Family Medicine: 5 (6)
The Annals of Family Medicine: 5 (6)
Vol. 5, Issue 6
1 Nov 2007
  • Table of Contents
  • Index by author
  • In Brief
  • Annual Indexes
Print
Download PDF
Article Alerts
Sign In to Email Alerts with your Email Address
Email Article

Thank you for your interest in spreading the word on Annals of Family Medicine.

NOTE: We only request your email address so that the person you are recommending the page to knows that you wanted them to see it, and that it is not junk mail. We do not capture any email address.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
The Inverse Care Law: Clinical Primary Care Encounters in Deprived and Affluent Areas of Scotland
(Your Name) has sent you a message from Annals of Family Medicine
(Your Name) thought you would like to see the Annals of Family Medicine web site.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
1 + 12 =
Solve this simple math problem and enter the result. E.g. for 1+3, enter 4.
Citation Tools
The Inverse Care Law: Clinical Primary Care Encounters in Deprived and Affluent Areas of Scotland
Stewart W. Mercer, Graham C. M. Watt
The Annals of Family Medicine Nov 2007, 5 (6) 503-510; DOI: 10.1370/afm.778

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero
Get Permissions
Share
The Inverse Care Law: Clinical Primary Care Encounters in Deprived and Affluent Areas of Scotland
Stewart W. Mercer, Graham C. M. Watt
The Annals of Family Medicine Nov 2007, 5 (6) 503-510; DOI: 10.1370/afm.778
Twitter logo Facebook logo Mendeley logo
  • Tweet Widget
  • Facebook Like
  • Google Plus One

Jump to section

  • Article
    • Abstract
    • INTRODUCTION
    • METHODS
    • RESULTS
    • DISCUSSION
    • Acknowledgments
    • Footnotes
    • REFERENCES
  • Figures & Data
  • eLetters
  • Info & Metrics
  • PDF

Related Articles

  • PubMed
  • Google Scholar

Cited By...

  • Is it possible to identify populations experiencing material disadvantage in primary care? A feasibility study using the Clinical Practice Research Database
  • Patients' views on primary care multidisciplinary teams in Scotland: a mixed-methods evaluation
  • Primary care transformation in Scotland: a qualitative evaluation of the views of patients
  • What makes a good general practice consultation? An exploratory pilot study with people from a low socioeconomic background
  • How to address the inverse care law and increase GP recruitment in areas of socioeconomic deprivation: a qualitative study of GP trainees views and experiences in the UK
  • Improving access to general practice for and with people with severe and multiple disadvantage: a qualitative study
  • Storylines of family medicine X: standing up for diversity, equity and inclusion
  • Patients experiences of GP consultations following the introduction of the new GP contract in Scotland: a cross-sectional survey
  • Is Scotland's new GP contract addressing the inverse care law?
  • Health inequalities, multimorbidity and primary care in Scotland
  • Quantifying unmet need in General Practice: a retrospective cohort study of administrative data
  • A mixed-methods evaluation of patients views on primary care multi-disciplinary teams in Scotland
  • Are GP training opportunities in Northern Ireland widening or closing the gap on health inequalities? An analysis of Northern Ireland deprivation data
  • Are GP training opportunities in Northern Ireland widening or closing the gap on health inequalities? An analysis of Northern Ireland deprivation data
  • Bridging Gaps: Improving access to general practice for and with marginalised patients- "its quite joyful for us, its really improved our work"
  • Primary care physicians perceptions of social determinants of health recommendations: a qualitative study
  • Association between frailty, chronic conditions and socioeconomic status in community-dwelling older adults attending primary care: a cross-sectional study using practice-based research network data
  • Artificial intelligence and health inequities in primary care: a systematic scoping review and framework
  • Establishing a Deep End GP group: a scoping review
  • The challenges of community mental health; Trainee clinical psychologists perspectives
  • Implementing social prescribing in primary care in areas of high socioeconomic deprivation: process evaluation of the 'Deep End community Links Worker Programme
  • Exploring GP work in areas of high socioeconomic deprivation: a secondary analysis
  • Measuring Primary Care Across 35 OECD Countries
  • How many medications do doctors in primary care use? An observational study of the DU90% indicator in primary care in England
  • Primary care consultation length by deprivation and multimorbidity in England: an observational study using electronic patient records
  • Primary care consultation length by deprivation and multimorbidity in England
  • How many medications do doctors in primary care use? An observational study of the DU90% indicator in primary care in England
  • Seasonal influenza programme expansion
  • Persistent inequalities in Hospice at Home provision
  • Multimorbidity and GP burnout
  • Influence of patient multimorbidity on GP burnout: a survey and register-based study in Danish general practice
  • Effectiveness of Community-Links Practitioners in Areas of High Socioeconomic Deprivation
  • New alumni EXperiences of Training and independent Unsupervised Practice (NEXT-UP): protocol for a cross-sectional study of early career general practitioners
  • Comorbidity and healthcare use for individuals with CVD in the Ireland: a cross-sectional, population-based study
  • Professional resilience in GPs working in areas of socioeconomic deprivation: a qualitative study in primary care
  • The inverse care law revisited: a continuing blot on the record of the National Health Service
  • Influences of socioeconomic deprivation on GPs decisions to refer patients to cardiology: a qualitative study
  • Effectiveness of a peer-mediated educational intervention in improving general practitioner diagnostic assessment and management of dementia: a cluster randomised controlled trial
  • Delivering a primary care-based social prescribing initiative: a qualitative study of the benefits and challenges
  • Multimorbidity and Socioeconomic Deprivation in Primary Care Consultations
  • International variations in primary care physician consultation time: a systematic review of 67 countries
  • General practice and the Sustainability and Transformation imperatives
  • Mining for Deep End GPs: a group forged with steel in Yorkshire and Humber
  • PIPc study: development of indicators of potentially inappropriate prescribing in children (PIPc) in primary care using a modified Delphi technique
  • Accounting for multimorbidity in pay for performance: a modelling study using UK Quality and Outcomes Framework data
  • In This Issue: Confronting Constraints on Individual Behavior & Outcomes
  • General Practitioners Empathy and Health Outcomes: A Prospective Observational Study of Consultations in Areas of High and Low Deprivation
  • General practice funding underpins the persistence of the inverse care law: cross-sectional study in Scotland
  • Social equity in health care
  • Discretion is the better part of general practice
  • SurgiCal Obesity Treatment Study (SCOTS): protocol for a national prospective cohort study of patients undergoing bariatric surgery in Scotland
  • Patient-reported areas for quality improvement in general practice: a cross-sectional survey
  • Relationships of Multimorbidity and Income With Hospital Admissions in 3 Health Care Systems
  • Managing patients with multimorbidity in primary care
  • Multimorbidity in a marginalised, street-health Australian population: a retrospective cohort study
  • The influence of socioeconomic deprivation on multimorbidity at different ages: a cross-sectional study
  • Looking beyond "the house of care" for long term conditions
  • The effect of physical multimorbidity, mental health conditions and socioeconomic deprivation on unplanned admissions to hospital: a retrospective cohort study
  • Patient centredness and the outcome of primary care consultations with patients with depression in areas of high and low socioeconomic deprivation
  • Multimorbidity and the inverse care law in primary care
  • Chronic disease detection and access: does access improve detection, or does detection make access more difficult?
  • Multimorbidity in primary care: a systematic review of prospective cohort studies
  • From child health surveillance to child health promotion, and onwards: a tale of babies and bathwater
  • Socio-economic differences in long-term psychiatric work disability: prospective cohort study of onset, recovery and recurrence
  • An exploration of why people drop out from using a primary care mental health service
  • Resilience among doctors who work in challenging areas: a qualitative study
  • Patient encounters in very deprived areas
  • Explaining variation in referral from primary to secondary care: cohort study
  • How useful are clinical guidelines for the management of obesity in general practice?
  • The Problem of Fragmentation and the Need for Integrative Solutions
  • Deprivation, demography, and the distribution of general practice:: challenging the conventional wisdom of inverse care
  • Commentary: What is the NHS for?
  • Further observations on enablement
  • The NHS at 60: time to end the fairy tale
  • No Job Is Finished Until the Electronic Work Is Done
  • In This Issue: Equity Global Theme Issue on Poverty and Human Development
  • Google Scholar

More in this TOC Section

  • Family-Based Interventions to Promote Weight Management in Adults: Results From a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial in India
  • Teamwork Among Primary Care Staff to Achieve Regular Follow-Up of Chronic Patients
  • Shared Decision Making Among Racially and/or Ethnically Diverse Populations in Primary Care: A Scoping Review of Barriers and Facilitators
Show more Original Research

Similar Articles

Subjects

  • Domains of illness & health:
    • Chronic illness
    • Mental health
  • Person groups:
    • Vulnerable populations
  • Other research types:
    • Health services
    • Professional practice
  • Core values of primary care:
    • Access
  • Other topics:
    • Disparities in health and health care
    • Multimorbidity

Content

  • Current Issue
  • Past Issues
  • Early Access
  • Plain-Language Summaries
  • Multimedia
  • Podcast
  • Articles by Type
  • Articles by Subject
  • Supplements
  • Calls for Papers

Info for

  • Authors
  • Reviewers
  • Job Seekers
  • Media

Engage

  • E-mail Alerts
  • e-Letters (Comments)
  • RSS
  • Journal Club
  • Submit a Manuscript
  • Subscribe
  • Family Medicine Careers

About

  • About Us
  • Editorial Board & Staff
  • Sponsoring Organizations
  • Copyrights & Permissions
  • Contact Us
  • eLetter/Comments Policy

© 2025 Annals of Family Medicine