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Table 2 Study characteristics and study quality of the included studies

From: Frequent attenders in late life in primary care: a systematic review of European studies

Author and year

Country

Study type

Study population

Sample

Number GP’s/practices

Study quality (score)

n (FA)/n (Controls)

Age

Sex

Bergh and Marklund, 2003 [37]

Sweden

cross-sectional

listed patients

elderly (≥65 years):

85/126

women (≥65 years):

M = 77.1 (Fa), M = 76.4 (CG)

men (≥65 years):

M = 77.0 (Fa), M = 74.1 (CG)

elderly (≥65 years): 46.4% female

7/1

High quality

(9)

Gilleard et al., 1998 [38]

UK

cross-sectional

listed patients aged 65 years and over

95/919

range: ≥65

n/a

n/a /1

Low quality

(6)

Menchetti et al., 2006 [39]

Italy

cross-sectional

attending patients aged 14 years and older

elderly (≥ 60 years): 136/470

elderly (≥ 60 years):

n/a

elderly (≥ 60 years):

61% female

191/ n/a

High quality

(10)

Rennemark et al., 2009 [40]

Sweden

cross-sectional

registered patients with the Swedish National Study on Aging and Care

229/511

Median = 66

range: 60–78

54.2% female

n/a

High quality

(10)

Scherer et al., 2008 [46]

Germany

cohort-study

listed patients with diagnosis of heart failure

48/262

M = 72.9

(SD = 9)

68.8% female (FA)/ 50.4% female (CG)

n/a /44

Moderate quality

(8)

Sheehan et al., 2003 [45]

UK

cross-sectional

attending patients aged 65 years and over

53/87

M = 76.8

(SD = 7.3)

range: ≥ 65

57.9% female

14/2 (centres)

Moderate quality

(9)

Svab and Zaletel-Kragelj, 1993 [43]

Slovenia

cross-sectional

listed patients

elderly (>65):

34/78

elderly (>65):

n/a

elderly (>65):

n/a

8/1 (primary care centre)

Low quality

(5)

van den Bussche et al., 2016 [44]

Germany

cross-sectional

registered patients with a health insurance company

23,590 (19.1%)/99,634 (80.9%)

FA:

M = 73, SD = 6.4

CG:

M = 71.7, SD = 6.1

46.3% female (FA)/ 41.4% female (CG)

n/a

High quality

(9)

Vedsted et al., 2001 [42]

Denmark

cross-sectional

listed patients aged 20 years and over

elderly (>65):

n/a

elderly (>65):

n/a

elderly (>65):

n/a

n/a

High quality

(9)

Vedsted et al., 2004 [41]

Denmark

cross-sectional

attending patients aged 20 years and over

elderly (≥65 years):6718/n/a

elderly (≥65 years):

n/a

elderly (≥65 years):

57.8% female (FA)

320/179

High quality

(10)

  1. FA Frequent attender, GP General Practitioner, M Mean, SD Standard deviation, CG Control group; n/a = no information provided; − = not applicable