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Problem patients in general practice: identifying young women with recurrent abnormal illness behaviour
The Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners
|October 1, 1985
Summary
Identifying patients with recurrent abnormal illness behavior is crucial in general practice. This study found that social disadvantages, emotional problems, and higher substance use correlate with such behavior, aiding early detection.
Area of Science:
- General Practice
- Psychosomatic Medicine
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Recurrent illness behavior presents challenges in primary care.
- Early identification of patients exhibiting abnormal illness behavior is needed.
- Problem patients consume significant healthcare resources.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify characteristics of women with recurrent potentially functional complaints.
- To develop an index for early identification of recurrent abnormal illness behavior.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of medical records for 1134 women (16-25 years).
- Comparison of 51 high-rate cases with 51 randomly selected controls.
- Step-wise multiple regression and logistic discriminant analysis.
Main Results:
- Cases reported more health/emotional issues, higher alcohol/cigarette dependence.
- Cases had greater social disadvantages (parental death, unemployment, truancy).
- Cases were dissatisfied with services and less compliant despite high utilization.
Conclusions:
- Recurrent abnormal illness behavior is associated with specific psychosocial factors and healthcare utilization patterns.
- An index was developed to aid in the early identification of these patients.
- Further research is needed to refine identification and management strategies.