Bringing community involvement into a Cretan primary/hospital care center: an evaluation of population habits and attitudes toward health care.

In a small Cretan township hospital combining secondary and primary care, a questionnaire was distributed to a consecutive visitor sample. The questionnaire requested information on the participants' personal smoking and other life habits, perceptions and expectations of the delivery of the health care services, and attitudes toward their own doctors and others who provide various health services. Three hundred and one individuals of both sexes who were 15 years and older participated in the study (participation rate, more than 97%). An interesting and varied response was recorded, covering a wide range of perceptions, opinions, and attitudes not only toward the services, but also toward the staff. Although a high confidence in and appreciation of both the primary care and hospital sections appeared in the study results, these attitudes should not be allowed to deteriorate. Therefore, specific actions should be undertaken: constant upgrading of the existing organizational context, implementation of promotional and educational programs, and use of the questionnaire as an effective tool for periodically assessing the population's attitudes, experiences, and expectations.