Table 1 Sample characteristics of five waves of GP Patient survey data

 Male

636,076

43.1

1,255,846

43.6

1,891,922

43.4

 Female

840,324

56.9

1,626,459

56.4

2,466,783

56.6

 18–24 years

65,729

4.5

116,338

4.0

182,067

4.2

 25–34 years

148,966

10.1

267,430

9.3

416,396

9.6

 35–44 years

203,616

13.8

363,407

12.6

567,023

13.0

 45–54 years

259,698

17.6

501,875

17.4

761,573

17.5

 55–64 years

300,329

20.3

577,672

20.0

878,001

20.1

 65–74 years

273,922

18.6

595,753

20.7

869,675

20.0

 75–84 years

169,686

11.5

347,876

12.1

517,562

11.9

 85 or over

54,454

3.7

111,954

3.9

166,408

3.8

 Yes

895,175

60.6

1,771,617

61.5

2,666,792

61.2

 No

535,210

36.3

1,022,939

35.5

1,558,149

35.8

 Don’t know/ can’t say

27,722

1.9

58,320

2.0

86,042

2.0

 Missing

18,293

1.2

29,429

1.0

47,722

1.1

 Alzheimer/ dementia

9929

0.7

21,101

0.7

31,030

0.7

 Angina/ heart problems

96,707

6.6

179,424

6.2

276,131

6.3

 Arthritis/ joint problems

240,480

16.3

466,970

16.2

707,450

16.2

 Asthma/ chest problems

147,325

10.0

297,099

10.3

444,424

10.2

 Blindness/ visual problems

18,500

1.3

32,530

1.1

51,030

1.2

 Cancer in the last 5 yrs

54,362

3.7

118,398

4.1

172,760

4.0

 Deaf/ hearing problems

70,311

4.8

139,745

4.9

210,056

4.8

 Diabetes

123,405

8.4

266,795

9.3

390,200

9.0

 Epilepsy

15,531

1.1

28,152

1.0

43,683

1.0

 High blood pressure

337,554

22.9

668,507

23.2

1,006,061

23.1

 Kidney or liver problems

25,649

1.7

56,508

2.0

82,157

1.9

 Long-term back problems

157,361

10.7

306,127

10.6

463,488

10.6

 Long-term mental health problems

51,121

3.5

119,783

4.2

170,904

3.9

 Long-term neurological problems

26,744

1.8

60,278

2.1

87,022

2.0

 Long-term other health problems

172,282

11.7

366,061

12.7

538,343

12.4