TY - JOUR T1 - Clinically inexplicable frequent attenders in general practice. JF - British Journal of General Practice JO - Br J Gen Pract SP - 1000 LP - 1001 VL - 52 IS - 485 AU - Paul Stewart AU - Tom O'Dowd Y1 - 2002/12/01 UR - http://bjgp.org/content/52/485/1000.abstract N2 - This study was based in an isolated rural practice, and it identified 107 frequent attenders (1.95% of the practice population), who created five times the consultation workload of a similar group matched for age and sex. The general practitioners (GPs) classified 60 (56%) of these patients as attending for clinically inexplicable reasons. This subgroup had higher rates of long-term medication and hospital referral, and more free access to primary health care. The study also identified very high levels of kinship and relationship by marriage within this group (47%). ER -