The characteristics of the population cared for in home visits from 1985 to 1987 and the justification for these visits were evaluated. Elderly patients, females and consultations for respiratory diseases were more common. The patients belonging to higher socioeconomic classes were more common in the age groups below 20 years, whereas those from lower classes were more common in patients over 70 years. 70% of consultations were considered as non justified; these predominated in younger patients and in those from higher socioeconomic classes (a probably increasing group of population in Pozuelo) and from autumn to spring. Their number decreased in a near parallel fashion to that of justified consultations, probably in relation with a task of health education. We think that the population should be taught the proper use of this type of health attention, which would result in a better quality of care.