GENERATING SOCIAL-CLASS DATA IN PRIMARY-CARE

The objective of this study was to compare three methods of collecting social class data in general practice. The setting was a rural dispen sing practice on the Nottinghamshire/Lincolnshire border. The methods examined were: (a) a self-administered questionnaire to 200 patients t o determine their social class based on the occupation of the head of household; (b) members of the practice staff were asked to assign a so cial class to these households based on their local knowledge; and (c) use of small area statistics from the 1991 census data using modal an d weighted methods, It was found that the practice staff were unable r eliably to assign a social class to the households. The modal method o f using small area statistics to assign social class to households thr ough their postcode and its link to the census data was also inaccurat e. While a personal questionnaire will remain the only method for assi gning a social class to individual patients for clinical care or most research, the weighted method of small area statistics is shown to be a cost-effective and sufficiently accurate method for health needs ass essment in general practice.