Reliability of morbidity data in family practice.

Because of its relative youth, family practice research has not yet developed a tradition of proven research techniques. New techniques, even those already proven effective in other disciplines, must be evaluated in the family practice setting if the results that they generate are to have any credibility. The collection of morbidity data has become a major activity in family practice research, but this has occurred without sufficient examination of its reliability. Several problems, both potential and real, exist requiring more detailed scrutiny, discussion, and possibly action. These problems of recording, diagnosis, coding, and population, and their ramifications, are explored with the aim of stimulating such action and encouraging a rigorous approach to the collection, publication, and interpretation of morbidity statistics.