[Who is the infrequent patient?].

OBJECTIVE

To reach the rarely attending section of the population, in order to define its sociodemographic characteristics, and analyse its health status and use of the Health Services.

DESIGN

Observational, crossover study, using a questionnaire.

SETTING

Primary Care.

PATIENTS

Patients over 19 assigned to four morning-shift doctors at the Parla Health Centre (Madrid) and who had not attended for health care over the preceding four years.

INTERVENTION

Communication by letter and phone. Questionnaire.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

5.07% (468) of the catchment population satisfied our criteria for inclusion. More than half of these could not be located. Only 51 (10.9%) could be interviewed; and 14 (2.99%) remained in the study. Gender accounted for no significant differences. No one was over 65. Self-perception of their own health status was good or very good in 85.7%. 85.7% were smokers. 71% said that they "rarely" attended for health care. One male had three cardiovascular risk factors.

CONCLUSIONS

We found that finding the rarely attending person was not easy. The few cases analysed do not allow for extrapolation. Our findings showed he was a married 37-year old male with a steady job in the service sector. He smokes, doesn't drink and considers himself in a good state of health.