Comparison of consultation rates in primary care attenders with and without seasonal affective disorder.
BACKGROUND
There is a lack of published information about the consultation patterns of patients with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) in primary care, when compared with non-seasonal controls (NSCs).


METHODS
Interview-confirmed SAD cases (n=90) were age- and sex-matched to two controls without significant seasonal morbidity on the Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire (SPAQ) (non-seasonal controls, NSCs). A comparison of their consultation rates was made using data abstracted from primary care records over 4 years.


RESULTS
The monthly rate of general practice consultations for SAD cases was significantly higher than that for NSCs. There was a significant difference in the median number of consultations in winter and autumn between the two groups. The matched multivariate analysis revealed that February and April were the independent months in which cases of SAD had significantly more consultations than NSCs.


CONCLUSIONS
Optimal diagnostic criteria for SAD have not been determined and our criteria may have been over-inclusive.


CONCLUSIONS
In addition to a marked difference in monthly consultation rates between SAD cases and NSCs, the data demonstrate a difference in the pattern of seasonality of these rates. It is possible that increased frequency of consultation, in particular during the winter months (in patients who score as a case SPAQ), could be used as an indication of SAD in primary care.
Andrew
J E
JE
Health Services Research Unit, Aberdeen University, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UK.
Wileman
S M
SM
Howie
F L
FL
Cameron
I M
IM
Naji
S A
SA
Eagles
J M
JM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005194:Family Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D008499:Medical Records / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D009819:Office Visits / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012606:Scotland / Q000453:epidemiology; D016574:Seasonal Affective Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology