biostudies-literatureUnknown14(11)Mira JJ<h4>Introduction</h4>Overuse of medical services is a challenge worldwide, posing a threat to the quality of care, patient safety and the sustainability of healthcare systems. Some data suggest that females receive more low-value practices (LVPs)-defined as medical interventions that provide little or no benefit to patients and can even cause harm-than males. This study aims to evaluate and compare the occurrence of LVPs in primary care among both males and females.<h4>Design</h4>A retrospective study was conducted.<h4>Setting</h4>Primary care in the Alicante province (Spain) during 2022.<h4>Participants</h4>Data were extracted from the digital medical records of 978 936 patients attended by 1125 family physicians across 262 primary healthcare centres in the Alicante province.<h4>Outcome mBMJ opene089006https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC11590792biostudies-literatureLow-value practices in primary care: a cross-sectional study comparing data between males and females in Spain.PMC11590792Soriano CSanchez-Garcia AVicente MALopez-Pineda AMira JJCarratala-Munuera CGarcia-Torres DGil-Guillen VFPerez-Jover MVfalseLow-value practices in primary care: a cross-sectional study comparing data between males and females in Spain.<h4>Introduction</h4>Overuse of medical services is a challenge worldwide, posing a threat to the quality of care, patient safety and the sustainability of healthcare systems. Some data suggest that females receive more low-value practices (LVPs)-defined as medical interventions that provide little or no benefit to patients and can even cause harm-than males. This study aims to evaluate and compare the occurrence of LVPs in primary care among both males and females.<h4>Design</h4>A retrospective study was conducted.<h4>Setting</h4>Primary care in the Alicante province (Spain) during 2022.<h4>Participants</h4>Data were extracted from the digital medical records of 978 936 patients attended by 1125 family physicians across 262 primary healthcare centres in the Alicante province.<h4>Outcome m2024-01-01T00:00:00Z2024 Nov2026-06-02T05:02:40.951Z2025-04-04T00:46:29.152ZS-EPMC115907923958171410.1136/bmjopen-2024-089006