Physician use by the elderly over an eight-year period.

Abstract

Investigation of ambulatory use of physicians by older persons over an eight-year period reveals that 60 per cent visited physicians with similar frequency for six or more years; 22 per cent regularly made two or less visits and 14 per cent made seven or more visits each year. Analyses reveal cohort effects rather than age effects to be of primary importance in determining an individual's regular pattern of physician use.