چکیده (انگلیسی):

Background:Previous studies addressing determinants of frequent attendance have mainly focused on sociodemographic, psychosocial and medical factors, and few had data on lifestyle and gender-specific factors. This
study aims to describe determinants of general practice frequent attendance in Danish adult population, by
examining lifestyle, socio-demographic, medical and gender-specific factors.
Method:For 54,849 participants of the Danish Diet, Cancer and Health cohort (50–65 year old) we obtained data
on visits to general practitioner (GP) from the Danish National Health Service Register at cohort baseline (1993–97),
when information on medical conditions and lifestyle, socio-demographic and gender-specific factors was collected
by questionnaire. Logistic regression was used to identify determinants of frequent attendance, defined as top 10 %
GP users at the year of recruitment into the cohort (baseline) in the period between 1993 and 1997.
Results:Frequent attenders accounted for 40 % of all face-to-face GP consultations with a mean 12 visits/year.
Women were more likely to be frequent attenders, in crude (Odds ratio: 1.95; 95 % Confidence Interval: 1.85–2.06)
and fully adjusted (1.26; 1.09–1.47) model. In a fully adjusted model, strongest determinants of frequent attendance
were pre-existing medical conditions, with hypertension (2.58; 2.42–2.75), diabetes (2.24; 1.94–2.59), and mental
illness (2.29; 2.09–2.52) more than doubling the odds of being FA. High education (0.63; 0.57–0.69, >4 years higher
education vs. no vocational training) and employment (0.61; 0.57–0.65) were inversely associated with frequent
attendance. Finally, obesity (1.54; 1.14–2.08), smoking (1.21; 1.12–1.30, current vs. never), physical activity (0.84; 0.80–89),
alcohol consumption (0.83; 0.78–0.87 above vs. below recommended level), and hormone therapy in women
(1.52; 1.42–1.63) were all significant determinants of frequent attendance.
Conclusions:In addition to pre-existing medical conditions, gender, socio-demographic and gender-specific
factors, lifestyle (obesity, smoking, exercise and alcohol use) is also an independent determinant of frequent
attendance at general practitioner.