Towards measurement of outcome for patients with varicose veins.

Testing the questions Between March and June 1991 patients with varicose veins were identified in two ways: from all referral letters to the surgical outpatient departments in Grampian'8 and by general practitioners from four large training practices in Grampian, whose patients were included only if the general practitioner did not refer them to a specialist during the recruitment period of the study. A questionnaire including the clinical questions, an anglicised version of the SF-36 health profile (A M Coulter, personal communication), and relevant sociodemographic questions was sent to the patients in general practice within two weeks of their initial consultation and to the referred patients before their first outpatient appointment. All patients not wishing to take part in the study were asked to return their questionnaires blank. Reminders were sent to non-responders after two weeks and again after four weeks.

Information and Statistics Division. Scottish health statistics 1991. Edinburgh: Common Services Agency for the

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