title: [Would the Screening of Common Mental Disorders in Primary-Care Health Services Hyper-Frequent Patients Be Useful?].
abstract: Hyper-frequentation in health services is a problem for patients, their families and the institutions. This study is aimed at determining the frequency and characteristics of common mental disorders in hyper-frequent patients showing vague symptoms and signs at a primary healthcare service during the year 2007 in the city of Cali (Colombia).
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross sectional. The most frequent mental disorders in hyper-frequent patients were detected through a telephone interview which included several modules of the PRIME MD instrument.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In general, healthcare service hyper-frequenters are working women, 38,7-year old in average. Basically, the consultation is due to cephalalgia but they also exhibit a high prevalence of common mental disorders (somatization, depression and anxiety) not easily diagnosed by physicians in primary care. Expenses for additional health activities generated by these patients are attributed basically to medical consultation and required procedures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Considering hyper-frequenters in health care services as a risk group in terms of common mental disorders involves screening as an efficient strategy to prevent abuse in service use and to improve satisfaction with the attention received.
authors.affiliation: Psiquiatra de Enlace e Interconsulta, Fundación Valle de Lili. Asesor Comfandi Salud IPS. Profesor Universidades ICESI, CES y de Miami. Consultor Medicina Inteligente, Cali, Colombia. Electronic address: hernangrincon@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Hernán G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Rincón-Hoyos
authors.affiliation: Medica Familiar. MSc(c) Epidemiología Comfandi Salud IPS. Profesora Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Cali, Colombia.
authors.forename: Mérida R Rodríguez
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: López
authors.affiliation: Psicóloga, Especialista en Psicología Clínica. Psicóloga Instituto Albert Ellis de Colombia, Cali, Colombia.
authors.forename: Ana María Villa
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Ruiz
authors.affiliation: Comfandi Salud IPS, Profesor Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia.
authors.forename: Carlos Augusto
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Hernández
authors.affiliation: Comfandi Salud IPS, Cali, Colombia.
authors.forename: Martha Lucía
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Ramos
keywords: Health services misuse; Mal uso de servicios de salud; ansiedad; anxiety; atención primaria de salud; depresión; depression; primary health; screening; somatoform disorders; tamizaje; trastornos somatoformes