SynthesisScandinavian journal of primary health care2008
Interventions on frequent attenders in primary care. A systematic literature review.
Synthesis in Scandinavian journal of primary health care, 2008. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 25 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
25 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Characteristics of Case Management in Primary Care Associated With Positive Outcomes for Frequent Users of Health Care: A Systematic Review.Annals of family medicine · 2019Pooled it
- One-session cognitive behavior treatment for long-term frequent attenders in primary care: randomized controlled trial.Scandinavian journal of primary health care · 2019Trial
- Frequent attenders in primary health care in Finland: use of primary care services and patient characteristics.Scandinavian journal of primary health care · 2026Article
- Rate and Characteristics of Frequent Attenders at Primary Healthcare Centres in Muscat Governorate, Oman:Sultan Qaboos University medical journal · 2026Article
- Caring for high-need patients.BMC health services research · 2023Article
- Consultation frequency and general practitioners' and practices' characteristics.BMC primary care · 2023Article
- Characteristics and economic burden of frequent attenders with medically unexplained symptoms in primary care in Israel.The European journal of general practice · 2021Observational
- Frequent attenders of three outpatient health care schemes in Finland: characteristics and association with long-term sickness absences, 2016-2018.BMC public health · 2021Article
- Continuity of care as a predictor of ongoing frequent attendance in primary care: a retrospective cohort study.BJGP open · 2020Article
- Perinatal outcomes of frequent attendance in midwifery care in the Netherlands: a retrospective cohort study.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2020Article
- Frequent attenders in the German healthcare system: determinants of high utilization of primary care services. Results from the cross-sectional German health interview and examination survey for adults (DEGS).BMC family practice · 2020Article
- Defining and Characterizing Frequent Attenders: Systematic Literature Review and Recommendations.Journal of patient-centered research and reviews · 2020Review
- A consultation-level intervention to improve care of frequently attending patients: a cluster randomised controlled feasibility trial.BJGP open · 2019Article
- Frequent attenders in general medical practice in Italy: a preliminary report on clinical variables related to low functioning.Neuropsychiatric disease and treatment · 2019Article
- Comparing occasional and persistent frequent attenders in occupational health primary care - a longitudinal study.BMC public health · 2018Article
- Cognitive behavioral therapy for frequent attenders in primary care.Health science reports · 2018Article
- Effect of administrative information on visit rate of frequent attenders in primary health care: ten-year follow-up study.BMC family practice · 2018Article
- Understanding "revolving door" patients in general practice: a qualitative study.BMC family practice · 2014Article
- Characteristics of the elderly who do not visit primary care physicians.Israel journal of health policy research · 2013Article
- Predictability of persistent frequent attendance in primary care: a temporal and geographical validation study.PloS one · 2013Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveTo analyse which interventions are effective in influencing morbidity, quality of life, and healthcare utilization of frequently attending patients (FAs) in primary care.
methodsA systematic literature search was performed for articles describing interventions on FAs in primary care (Medline, Embase, and PsycINFO). Outcomes were morbidity, quality of life (QoL), and use of healthcare. Two independent assessors selected all randomized clinical trials (RCT) and assessed the quality of the selected RCTs. Results. Five primary care based RCTs were identified. Three RCTs used frequent attendance to select patients at risk of distress, major depression, and anxiety disorders. These RCTs applied psychological and psychiatric interventions and focused on undiagnosed psychiatric morbidity of FAs. Two of them found more depression-free days and a better QoL after treating major depressive disorder in FAs. No other RCT found any positive effect on morbidity or QoL. Two RCTs studied an intervention which focused on reducing frequent attendance. No intervention significantly lowered attendance. Due to the difference in study settings and the variation in methods of selecting patients, meta-analysis of the results was not possible.
conclusionNo study showed convincing evidence that an intervention improves QoL or morbidity of frequent attending primary care patients, although a small effect might be possible in a subgroup of depressed frequent attenders. No evidence was found that it is possible to influence healthcare utilization of FAs.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.