Age and medical care utilization patterns.

Physician utilization patterns of older as compared to younger persons are investigated in a national random sample. Those 60 and over were more likely than younger groups to contact physicians for routine checkups in the absence of symptoms, and to over-utilize for a list of five common "non-serious" complaints. However there were no differences by age in the pattern of under utilization for a series of five common ailments which were serious enough to require a physician's attention. The effects on these use patterns of various controls such as sex, health knowledge and attitude toward physician authority are analyzed singly and in combination. Implications of the findings for future health care requirements of an aging population are discussed.