CANBERRA, Sept. 19 (Xinhua) -- Australian see doctors for help with their mental health more than for any other issue, a report has revealed.
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners' (RACGP) 2018 Health of the Nation report released on Wednesday, found that psychological ailments were the most common reasons for a patient visit followed by respiratory concerns, musculoskeletal problems and metabolic conditions.
The RACGP surveyed 1,500 general practitioners (GPs), half of who identified mental health as the problem that gave them the most concern for the future.
"Many of the emerging health conditions facing Australia are managed by GPs in their early stages," Harry Nespolon, president-elect of the RACGP, said in the report.
"If general practice does not receive the urgent support it needs from our government, these emerging concerns could become even more serious."
The report also serves as an analysis of the GP profession, finding that 45 percent of Australia's GPs are female with that figure forecast to grow.
Almost 90 percent of Australians see a GP every year and a majority of them visit their doctor more than once.
"This report takes the pulse of the general practice profession, and in turn the front line of healthcare for all Australians," Nespolon said in a statement.
"GPs are the cornerstone of healthcare delivery within Australia. Every year, general practice touches the lives of every person, family and community in Australia, with the majority of us seeing our GP several times a year."
