Centre for Policy on Ageing
 

 
Do elderly Medicare recipients contact physicians appropriately?
Author(s)Margo-Lea Hurwicz, Emil Berkanovic
Journal titleJournals of Gerontology: Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, vol 57B, no 3, May 2002
Pagespp S187-S194
KeywordsGeriatricians ; Appointments system ; Usage [services] ; United States of America.
Annotation1,292 health care decisions of 825 older members of an HMO (health maintenance organisation) in Los Angeles are analysed. Illness episodes are divided into three categories based on the expertise of a panel of 22 geriatricians, using a formal mathematical analysis derived from anthropological consensus theory. These categories are: physician visit not recommended; physician visit recommended; and physician visit mandatory. Although the variables indicating perceived seriousness and duration of the episode consistently predict the decision to contact a physician, regardless of whether that contact is considered appropriate by the geriatrician panel, the variables indicating other illness responses and predisposing personal attributes have less consistent patterns of significance. (RH).
Accession NumberCPA-020617216 A
ClassmarkQT4: L5M: QLD: 7T

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