os.stat last accessed attribute

[Python_Junkie]

I am using the os.stat module to determine a number of file
properties.   I am finding that a significant number of files are
having their last accessed date dynamically modified to the time that
the script determines its attributes.  I am not opening the files, and
the script is not applying this property for all of the files.

Any suggestions as to why this might be occurring.

Thanks