[Primary care research: the content of articles published in scientific journals]

The quantifying, by subject area, of research published in scientific journals on primary health care, in five different cultural/geographic areas.Descriptive study.Scientific journals on primary health care.Original articles published in 1991 in the following journals on primary health care (general practice): Atención Primaria, Canadian Family Physician, Family Practice, Journal of Family Practice and Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care.The classification adopted here was that used in the research into primary health care by the Canadian Association of Family Physicians. The five journals between them published 263 original articles. Articles on organisation and provision of health services constituted 42% of the total; next in frequency were articles on epidemiology (18%) and on psychosocial concerns. Methodological studies and research into training and professional kills represent a scarce 6% and 8% respectively.The most commonly occurring subject in primary health care research is research on services. In the future it would be desirable to develop other areas (the clinical and psycho-social areas, methodology, and training).