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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Há utentes que consomem desproporcionalmente mais serviços de saúde relativamente a
outros pacientes. Designados Utilizadores Frequentes (UF), são descritos como utentes que
recorrem de forma inadequada aos cuidados de saúde. As taxas elevadas de utilização destes
serviços estão relacionadas com determinadas características sociodemográficas, clínicas e
psicossociais destes pacientes. Este estudo teve como principal objetivo o estudo das
características psicossociais de uma amostra de UF dos Cuidados de Saúde Primários,
comparando-a com uma amostra de Utilizadores Não Frequentes (UNF). Os UF foram
identificados num universo de 12.287 utentes inscritos, tendo sido estratificados por género e
idade. A amostra é constituída por 40 UF e 100 UNF. Os resultados permitiram identificar
1168 UF e 11.119 UNF. Verificou-se que os UF consomem desproporcionalmente mais
consultas do que os UNF. Os UF representam cerca de 10% dos utentes inscritos com idades
compreendidas entre os 18 e os 90 anos e foram responsáveis por 26.5% (12.281) das
consultas médicas realizadas em 2011. Constatou-se que os UF apresentam pior perceção de
saúde atual, pior perceção de saúde passada, mais queixas subjetivas de saúde e mais
sintomatologia psicopatológica (ansiedade, depressão e somatização). Estes resultados
sugerem a necessidade de se identificar estes utentes de forma a atender-se às suas
necessidades e realizar-se intervenções específicas focadas nas variáveis psicossociais
identificadas nos UF, com o objetivo de reduzir o número de consultas.
There are some clients who disproportionately use more health care services than other patients. The so called frequent attenders (FA) are described as clients who seek for health services inappropriately. The high rate in using these services is related to certain sociodemographic, clinical and psychosocial characteristics of these patients. The main purpose of this study is to assess the psychosocial characteristics of a sample of FA of Primary Health Care Services and compare it with a sample of Non-frequent Attenders (NFA). The FA were identified in a total of 12.287 registered clients, having been categorised by gender and age. The sample consists of 40 FA and 100 NFA. The results allowed the identification of 1168 FA and 11.119 NFA. The results showed that the FA have disproportionately more medical consultations in these services than the NFA. The FA represent about 10% of the registered clients aged between 18 and 90 years old and were responsible for 26.5 % (12.281) of medical consultations in 2011. It was found that when comparing FA and NFA, the FA have a worse perception of their current health status, a worse perception of their past health status, more subjective complaints concerning their health and more psychopathological symptoms (anxiety, depression and somatization). These results suggest the demand to identify these clients in order to meet their needs and to perform specific interventions focused on the psychosocial variables found in the FA, so that the number of medical consultations will be reduced.
There are some clients who disproportionately use more health care services than other patients. The so called frequent attenders (FA) are described as clients who seek for health services inappropriately. The high rate in using these services is related to certain sociodemographic, clinical and psychosocial characteristics of these patients. The main purpose of this study is to assess the psychosocial characteristics of a sample of FA of Primary Health Care Services and compare it with a sample of Non-frequent Attenders (NFA). The FA were identified in a total of 12.287 registered clients, having been categorised by gender and age. The sample consists of 40 FA and 100 NFA. The results allowed the identification of 1168 FA and 11.119 NFA. The results showed that the FA have disproportionately more medical consultations in these services than the NFA. The FA represent about 10% of the registered clients aged between 18 and 90 years old and were responsible for 26.5 % (12.281) of medical consultations in 2011. It was found that when comparing FA and NFA, the FA have a worse perception of their current health status, a worse perception of their past health status, more subjective complaints concerning their health and more psychopathological symptoms (anxiety, depression and somatization). These results suggest the demand to identify these clients in order to meet their needs and to perform specific interventions focused on the psychosocial variables found in the FA, so that the number of medical consultations will be reduced.
Description
Keywords
Utilizadores frequentes Cuidados de saúde primários Característica psicossociais Frequent attenders Primary health care Psychosocial characteristics