The patient iceberg: some characteristics and variations in consultation behaviour.

From the recent interest in the field of illness and consultation behaviour shown by medical sociologists, and from the much larger volume of epidemiological data available, some interesting facts about patients' use of their general practitioner have emerged. Despite increasing interest there remain a number of anomalies or 'grey areas' which merit much more attention from both sociologists and those who administer or practice professional medical care at the primary level.