Elżbieta Buczak-Stec1, André Hajek2, Martin Scherer3, Hans-Helmut König2, Hendrik van den Bussche3, Marion Eisele3, Birgitt Wiese4, Silke Mamone4, Siegfried Weyerer5, Jochen Werle5, Angela Fuchs6, Michael Pentzek6, Susanne Röhr7, Franziska Welzel7, Dagmar Weeg8, Edelgard Mösch8, Kathrin Heser9, Michael Wagner9,10, Steffi G Riedel-Heller7, Wolfgang Maier9,10. 1. Department of Health Economics and Health Services Research, Hamburg Center for Health Economics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany. e.buczak-stec@uke.de. 2. Department of Health Economics and Health Services Research, Hamburg Center for Health Economics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany. 3. Department of Primary Medical Care, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, University Medical Center, Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany. 4. Institute of General Practice, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany. 5. Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany. 6. Institute of General Practice, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany. 7. Institute of Social Medicine, Occupational Health and Public Health, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany. 8. Department of Psychiatry, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany. 9. Department for Neurodegenerative Diseases and Geriatric Psychiatry, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany. 10. German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: There are very few studies examining the determinants of frequent attendance in primary care among the oldest old. AIMS: The purpose of this study was to determine the characteristics of frequent attendance among individuals aged 85 years or older. METHODS: Cross-sectional data stem from the multicenter prospective cohort "Study on needs, health service use, costs and health-related quality of life in a large sample of oldest old primary care patients (85 +)" (AgeQualiDe). This study covers very old primary care patients (n = 861, mean age of 89.0 years ± 2.9; 85-100 years). The number of self-reported GP visits in the preceding 3 months was used to quantify frequent attenders. We defined patients in the top decile as frequent attenders. RESULTS: Multiple logistic regressions showed that frequent attendance was associated with more chronic diseases (adjusted OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.01-1.23), worse functioning (OR 0.97, 95% CI 0.95-0.99), worries about one's financial situation (OR 2.20, 95% CI 1.07-4.53) and it was inversely associated with depression (OR 0.26, 95% CI 0.08-0.80). DISCUSSION: In contrast to studies based on younger samples, different factors were associated with frequent users in our study, showing that it is important to study the determinants of frequent attendance among the oldest old. CONCLUSION: In Germany, among the group of the oldest old, frequent attendance was positively associated with worse physical health status (e.g., number of chronic diseases), but negatively with depression. This might indicate that the German health care system is responsive to the physical, but not psychological needs of the oldest old.
BACKGROUND: There are very few studies examining the determinants of frequent attendance in primary care among the oldest old. AIMS: The purpose of this study was to determine the characteristics of frequent attendance among individuals aged 85 years or older. METHODS: Cross-sectional data stem from the multicenter prospective cohort "Study on needs, health service use, costs and health-related quality of life in a large sample of oldest old primary care patients (85 +)" (AgeQualiDe). This study covers very old primary care patients (n = 861, mean age of 89.0 years ± 2.9; 85-100 years). The number of self-reported GP visits in the preceding 3 months was used to quantify frequent attenders. We defined patients in the top decile as frequent attenders. RESULTS: Multiple logistic regressions showed that frequent attendance was associated with more chronic diseases (adjusted OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.01-1.23), worse functioning (OR 0.97, 95% CI 0.95-0.99), worries about one's financial situation (OR 2.20, 95% CI 1.07-4.53) and it was inversely associated with depression (OR 0.26, 95% CI 0.08-0.80). DISCUSSION: In contrast to studies based on younger samples, different factors were associated with frequent users in our study, showing that it is important to study the determinants of frequent attendance among the oldest old. CONCLUSION: In Germany, among the group of the oldest old, frequent attendance was positively associated with worse physical health status (e.g., number of chronic diseases), but negatively with depression. This might indicate that the German health care system is responsive to the physical, but not psychological needs of the oldest old.
Entities:
Keywords:
Aged 80 and over; General practitioners; Health care utilization; Health services needs and demand; Primary health care
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