ABSTRACT
The normative bias of studies, which focuses on the work pressures of general practitioners (GPs), provides a restricted understanding of the processes which shape the relationship between health need, demand and health services use. Additionally, a problem with the social science and medical literature on need is that it rarely refers to patient decision-making and the way in which people use services. This chapter examines the relationship between symptoms and consultation rates; and the relationship between need, demand and use of services. It describes the traditional models of health care use which includes the health belief model (HBM), the rational choice model (RCM) and socio-behavioural model. The chapter provides the limitations of traditional utilization models. These models and related studies were mainly developed in the United States (US) where access to services has been more of a salient research and policy issue than in the United Kingdom (UK).
