Follow-through after calling a nurse telephone advice line: a population-based study.

Background: Nurse telephone advice (NTA) lines, a major initiative in primary health care reform, provide symptom triage and health information. Compliance studies utilizing database analysis are frequently limited to a defined population, such as children or Emergency Department (ED) users.

Objectives: To explore caller characteristics associated with following NTA advice to go to the ED, see a health care professional or self-care for Calgary, Canada (population 1 million).