[Health-Related Quality of Life as an Explanatory Variable of Primary Care Consultations: sex Differences].

Background: It is well known the inverse relationship between health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and the use of consultations. However, most studies deal sex as a confounding variable rather than to explicitly investigate sex differences. The study aims to know the influence of HRQoL of the elderly on the use of Primary Care consultations in a sex analysis.
Methods: Throughout 2013, 191 women and 155 men aged 65 years or older were enrolled in the study and assessed with interviews and analysis of medical records. We used the EuroQol-5D to assess the HRQoL and several demographic, clinical and social support variables were also analyzed. Two multiple linear regression models were developed.
Results: HRQoL showed a negative correlation with the use of consultations (Spearman's rho=-0,22; p=0,0001) and a crude OR value of 1,85 (95% CI:1,2-2,9). The association remained significant after adjusting for demographic [OR=1,99 (95% CI: 1,2-3,2)], clinical [OR=1,79 (95% CI: 1,1-2,9)] or social support covariates [OR=1,83 (95% CI: 1,1-2,9)]. In regression analysis, the values of standardized coefficient (β) related to HRQoL were 0,22 (95% CI:-36,7- -6,9) in females and 0,03 (95% CI:-15,6-23,1) in males.
Conclusions: In women ≥ 65 years, HRQoL shows the greatest explanatory power of use of consultations, after adjusting for demographic, clinical and social support covariates. By contrast, its influence on men is negligible.