TY - JOUR
KW - Drug Utilization/statistics & numerical data
KW - Health Services/utilization
KW - Health Status
KW - Humans
KW - Primary Health Care/statistics & numerical data
KW - Prospective Studies
KW - Questionnaires
KW - Retrospective Studies
KW - Sick Role
KW - Somatoform Disorders/diagnosis/therapy
AU - A. Al-Windi
A1 - 
AB - OBJECTIVE: The main aim was to examine the impact of reported individual symptoms on health care utilisation (HCU) in a primary health care practice population and to evaluate the impact of these symptoms on utilisation over time. METHOD: The study was performed in 1055 out of 1442 consecutive adult patients visiting a Swedish health care centre. Logistic regression analyses were applied to assess the relationships between symptoms and HCU outcomes. RESULTS: Each of the 30 symptoms was related to consultations with GPs and a provider of alternative medicine, use of medications and herbals, and sickness absence. Depression and tension groups were the strongest predictors of utilisation. Multisymptomatics had higher OR for most of the outcome variables than those with no symptoms. CONCLUSION: The results of this study show a linear correlation between the numbers of symptoms and increasing GP consultations, medicine use and sickness absences days, and this persisted during the years 2001 and 2002.
BT - Journal of psychosomatic research
C5 - Medically Unexplained Symptoms
CP - 3
CY - England
DO - 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2005.02.012
IS - 3
JF - Journal of psychosomatic research
N2 - OBJECTIVE: The main aim was to examine the impact of reported individual symptoms on health care utilisation (HCU) in a primary health care practice population and to evaluate the impact of these symptoms on utilisation over time. METHOD: The study was performed in 1055 out of 1442 consecutive adult patients visiting a Swedish health care centre. Logistic regression analyses were applied to assess the relationships between symptoms and HCU outcomes. RESULTS: Each of the 30 symptoms was related to consultations with GPs and a provider of alternative medicine, use of medications and herbals, and sickness absence. Depression and tension groups were the strongest predictors of utilisation. Multisymptomatics had higher OR for most of the outcome variables than those with no symptoms. CONCLUSION: The results of this study show a linear correlation between the numbers of symptoms and increasing GP consultations, medicine use and sickness absences days, and this persisted during the years 2001 and 2002.
PP - England
PY - 2005
SN - 0022-3999; 0022-3999
SP - 139
EP - 146
EP - 
T1 - The influence of complaint symptoms on health care utilisation, medicine use, and sickness absence. A comparison between retrospective and prospective utilisation
T2 - Journal of psychosomatic research
TI - The influence of complaint symptoms on health care utilisation, medicine use, and sickness absence. A comparison between retrospective and prospective utilisation
U1 - Medically Unexplained Symptoms
U2 - 16198186
U3 - 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2005.02.012
VL - 59
VO - 0022-3999; 0022-3999
Y1 - 2005
ER -