[Use of primary care resources by immigrants and the autochthonous persons who contact the care services in the city of Lleida, Spain].

Objective: To evaluate and compare the use of the different primary care (PC) services between immigrants and the indigenous population.

Design: Cross-sectional observation study of a population seen in (PC).

Setting: Patients seen by 15 PC doctors, in 5 basic health areas (BHA) in the city of Lleida, Spain, from March to August 2005.

Differences in pharmaceutical consumption and expenses between immigrant and Spanish-born populations in Lleida, (Spain): a 6-months prospective observational study.

Background: There are few studies comparing pharmaceutical costs and the use of medications between immigrants and the autochthonous population in Spain. The objective of this study is to evaluate whether there are differences in pharmaceutical consumption and expenses between immigrant and Spanish-born populations.

Methods: Prospective observational study in 1,630 immigrants and 4,154 Spanish-born individuals visited by fifteen primary care physicians at five public Primary Care Clinics (PCC) during 2005 in the city of Lleida, Catalonia (Spain).