Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40259350›Full record

ArticleHealth and quality of life outcomes2025

Perceived treatment burden and health-related quality of life in association with healthcare utilisation among patients attending multiple outpatient clinics.

Cathrine Bell, Charlotte Weiling Appel, Asger Roer Pedersen, Peter Vedsted

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Health and quality of life outcomes, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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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

4 authors.

Cathrine BellMedical Diagnostic Center, University Clinic for Innovative Patient Pathways, Regional Hospital Central Jutland, Central Denmark Region, Silkeborg/Viborg, Denmark. catbel@rm.dk.
Charlotte Weiling AppelMedical Diagnostic Center, University Clinic for Innovative Patient Pathways, Regional Hospital Central Jutland, Central Denmark Region, Silkeborg/Viborg, Denmark.
Asger Roer PedersenMedical Diagnostic Center, University Clinic for Innovative Patient Pathways, Regional Hospital Central Jutland, Central Denmark Region, Silkeborg/Viborg, Denmark.
Peter VedstedMedical Diagnostic Center, University Clinic for Innovative Patient Pathways, Regional Hospital Central Jutland, Central Denmark Region, Silkeborg/Viborg, Denmark.

Funding

The Novo Nordisk Foundation, Denmark NNF18OC0052136
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionPatients with multimorbidity who frequently require healthcare may experience a higher treatment burden. In this study, we investigated whether high perceived treatment burden and low perceived health-related quality of life (HRQoL) were associated with healthcare utilisation among patients who attended at least two medical outpatient hospital clinics.

methodsPatients who underwent medical treatment in two or more outpatient medical clinics at Silkeborg Regional Hospital in Denmark in August 2018 were included. The patients received a questionnaire containing the Multimorbidity Treatment Burden Questionnaire and the Short Form-12 questionnaire measuring HRQoL in terms of physical and mental health. Information on healthcare utilisation was collected from electronic registers one year prior to receiving the questionnaire. Logistic regression was applied to estimate the odds of 'no/low' and 'high' perceptions of treatment burden and 'low' self-rated HRQoL in relation to healthcare utilisation.

resultsIn total, 930 patients (59.8%) answered the questionnaire. The degree of patient-assessed treatment burden was not associated with the number of outpatient contacts, hospital admissions or admission days. A high perceived treatment burden was associated with a high number of general practice contacts, whereas a low treatment burden was associated with fewer contacts in general practice, indicating a dose‒response pattern. The same pattern of associations was observed for perceived physical and mental health.

conclusionPatients with high perceived treatment burden and low HRQoL seemed to consult their general practitioner primarily despite hospital involvement. These patients may require frequent primary care attention due to other factors than those being treated at the hospital. However, further research is warranted to explore the mechanisms underlying these associations and strategies for reducing treatment burden and enhancing HRQoL in patients with multiple medical conditions.

Indexed as

Ambulatory Care FacilitiesCost of IllnessPatient Acceptance of Health CareQuality of LifeAdultAgedAged, 80 and overDenmarkFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedMultimorbiditySurveys and QuestionnairesChronic illness careDenmarkHealthcare utilisationHospitalOutpatient clinicTreatment burden

Identifiers

PMID40259350
PMCPMC12013174

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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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.