Hierarchy of the main factors predicting the decision to go to the doctor in a general population sample: A factorial survey design

•Specific factors influence urgency in consulting a doctor when no diagnosis exists.•We obtain a hierarchy of factors predicting urgency in the general population.•An interference in daily activities is the main factor underlying urgency.•Interfering in daily activities has a stronger effect in men.•Interfering has also a stronger effect in individuals with university level education. To obtain a hierarchy of the main factors that predict the decision to go to the doctor when symptoms are not yet linked to a specific disease. 64 representative vignettes, combinations of nine factors, were presented to 168 adults between 28–60 years of age. Multilevel multiple regression models were used to rank the main factors predicting urgency to see a doctor in order of importance: the interference of symptoms in daily activities (B = −1.29; p < .001), fear (B = −0.96; p < .001), pain (B = −0.90; p < .001), access to medical care (B = −0.64; p < .001) and confidence in the doctor (B = −0.27;