Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35761510›Full record

ArticleAustralasian journal on ageing2022

Frequent users of health services among community-based older Australians: Characteristics and association with mortality.

Margaret Williamson, Margo Linn Barr, Alamgir Kabir, Elizabeth Jane Comino, Brendan Goodger, Ben F Harris-Roxas, Ann-Marie Crozier, Tony Jackson, Julie Finch, Mark Fort Harris

Open access · hybridAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Australasian journal on ageing, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
0.5field-weighted citation impact, top 36% of its field
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 4 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Redefining success: Incorporating long-term survival outcomes into routine benchmarking.Critical care and resuscitation : journal of the Australasian Academy of Critical Care Medicine · 2025
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors at 5 institutions in 1 country.

Margaret WilliamsonFaculty of Medicine, Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Margo Linn BarrFaculty of Medicine, Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3007-0216
Alamgir KabirFaculty of Medicine, Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3762-8307
Elizabeth Jane CominoFaculty of Medicine, Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Brendan GoodgerCentral and Eastern Sydney Primary Health Network, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Ben F Harris-RoxasFaculty of Medicine, School of Population Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1716-2009
Ann-Marie CrozierSydney Local Health District, New South Wales Health, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Tony JacksonSouth Eastern Sydney Local Health District, New South Wales Health, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Julie FinchSydney Local Health District, New South Wales Health, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Mark Fort HarrisFaculty of Medicine, Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0705-8913
UNSW Sydney · AUSydney Local Health District · AUEastern Health · AUSouth Eastern Sydney Local Health District · AUThe University of Sydney · AU

Funding

Central and Eastern Sydney Primary Health NetworkSouth Eastern Sydney Local Health DistrictSydney Local Health District
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesTo investigate characteristics of frequent users of general practice (GP; ≥21 visits in a year), medical specialist (≥10 visits), emergency department (ED; ≥2 presentations) and hospital services (≥2 overnight hospitalisations) and the association with mortality for people aged over 75 years.

methodsThe study included residents from Central and Eastern Sydney, Australia, aged over 75 years who participated in a large community-dwelling cohort study. Demographic, social and health characteristics data were extracted from the 45 and Up Study survey. Health service (GP, medical specialist, ED and hospitalisations) use and mortality data were extracted from linked administrative data. We calculated adjusted prevalence ratios to identify independent characteristics associated with frequent users of services at baseline (approx. 2008) and adjusted hazard ratios to assess the association between frequent users of services and mortality.

resultsFrequent users of services (GPs, medical specialists, EDs and hospitals) were more likely to be associated with ever having had heart disease and less likely to be associated with reporting good quality of life. Characteristics varied by service type. Frequent users of services were 1.5-2.0 times more likely to die within 7 years compared to those who were less frequent service users after controlling for all significant factors.

conclusionsOur analysis found that frequent service users aged over 75 years had poorer quality of life, more complex health conditions and higher mortality and so their health service use was not inappropriate. However, better management of these frequent service users may lead to better health outcomes.

Indexed as

Community Health ServicesQuality of LifeAgedAustraliaCohort StudiesEmergency Service, HospitalHealth ServicesHumanshealth-care utilisationmortalitypopulation characteristics

Identifiers

PMID35761510
PMCPMC10084303
OpenAlexW4283650729

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.