Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39256641›Full record

ArticleBMC primary care2024

Demographic and temporal trends in mental health and substance use services provided by primary care physicians in British Columbia, Canada.

Margaret Jamieson, Myriam Juda, M Ruth Lavergne, Paul Kurdyak, Audrey Laporte, David Rudoler

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMC primary care, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Concurrent mental health and substance use disorders among Canadian adults during the COVID-19 pandemic: a population-based study.Health promotion and chronic disease prevention in Canada : research, policy and practice · 2026
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Margaret JamiesonInstitute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, 155 College Street, Suite 425, Toronto, ON, M5T 3M6, Canada. Margaret.jamieson@mail.utoronto.ca.
Myriam JudaDepartment of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, Robert C. Brown Hall 5246, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, V5A 1S6, Canada.
M Ruth LavergneDepartment of Family Medicine, Dalhousie University, 5909 Veterans Memorial Lane, Halifax, B3H 2E2, Canada.
Paul KurdyakInstitute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), 250 College Street, Toronto, M5T 1R8, Canada.
Audrey LaporteInstitute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, 155 College Street, Suite 425, Toronto, ON, M5T 3M6, Canada.
David RudolerInstitute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, 155 College Street, Suite 425, Toronto, ON, M5T 3M6, Canada.

Funding

CIHR 155965
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAs the demand for mental health and substance use (MHSU) services increases, there will be an even greater need for health human resources to deliver this care. This study investigates how family physicians' (FP) contact volume, and more specifically, MHSU contact volume, is shaped by demographic trends among FPs in British Columbia, Canada.

methodsWe used annual physician-level administrative billing data and demographic information on FPs in British Columbia between 1996 and 2017. This study analyzes trends in primary care service provision among graduating cohorts of FPs, FPs of different ages (as measured by years since graduation), and FPs practicing during different time periods. Additionally, analyses are stratified by FP sex to account for potential differences in labour supply patterns between male and female FPs.

resultsOur results show that while FPs' overall contacts with patients decreased between 1996 and 2017, their annual number of MHSU contacts increased, which was largely driven by an increase in substance use visits. Demographically, the proportion of female FPs in the labour force rose over time. Observed trends were similar, though not identical in male and female FPs, as males tended to have higher overall contact volume (both total contacts and MHSU), but also steeper declines in contact volume in later careers. The number of contacts (both total and MHSU) changed across career stage - rising steadily from start to mid-career, peaking at 20-30 years in practice, and decreasing steadily thereafter. This was evident for all cohorts and consistent over the 21-year study period but flattened in amplitude over time. Our findings also point to potential cohort effects on labour supply. The inverse U-shaped career trend extended to MHSU contacts, but its peak seems to have shifted to a later career stage (peaking at 30-40 years of practice) over time.

conclusionsOur study shows changing dynamics in MHSU service delivery among FPs over time, across the life span and between FP sexes that are likely to influence access to care beyond simply the number of FPs. Given the healthcare needs of the population, these findings point to potential future changes in provision of MHSU services.

Indexed as

Mental Health ServicesPhysicians, Primary CareSubstance-Related DisordersAdultBritish ColumbiaFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPrimary Health CareSex FactorsBritish ColumbiaCanadaMental healthPhysicians’Practice patternsSubstance-related disorders

Identifiers

PMID39256641
PMCPMC11384687

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.