Changing circumstances drive changing attendance: A longitudinal cohort study of time varying predictors of frequent attendance in primary health care

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To investigate risk factors for frequent attendance in primary care over time, contrasting models based on baseline and time-varying characteristics. METHODS: Analysis of data from the Personality and Total Health (PATH) Through Life Project: a representative community cohort study from the Canberra region of Australia. A balanced sample of 1734 respondents, initially aged in their early 40s, were assessed on three occasions over 8 years. The survey assessed respondents' experience of chronic physical conditions, self-reported health, depression symptoms, personality, life events, socio-demographic characteristics and self-reported medication use. Survey data were linked to respon..