Skip to main content
American Journal of Public Health logoLink to American Journal of Public Health
. 1998 May;88(5):800–803. doi: 10.2105/ajph.88.5.800

Socioeconomic differences in the use of physician services in Nova Scotia.

G Kephart 1, V S Thomas 1, D R MacLean 1
PMCID: PMC1508920  PMID: 9585749

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Socioeconomic differences in use of physician services in Nova Scotia, Canada were examined. METHODS: The study was based on survey data, containing information on socioeconomic status, linked to physician claims data. Socioeconomic differences in use of physician services were estimated, adjusted for age, sex, and region of residence. RESULTS: Large socioeconomic differences were observed in the use of physician services, with use inversely related to both household income and education. These differences remained after adjustment for age, sex, and region. CONCLUSIONS: Use of physician services is inversely associated with socioeconomic status.

Full text

PDF
801

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Beck R. G. Economic class and access to physician services under public medical care insurance. Int J Health Serv. 1973;3(3):341–355. doi: 10.2190/9J37-6TD1-P1PE-4FN4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Broyles R. W., Manga P., Binder D. A., Angus D. E., Charette A. The use of physician services under a national health insurance scheme. An examination of the Canada Health Survey. Med Care. 1983 Nov;21(11):1037–1054. doi: 10.1097/00005650-198311000-00001. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Enterline P. E., Salter V., McDonald A. D., McDonald J. C. The distribution of medical services before and after "free" medical care--the Quebec experience. N Engl J Med. 1973 Nov 29;289(22):1174–1178. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197311292892206. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Freeman H. E., Corey C. R. Insurance status and access to health services among poor persons. Health Serv Res. 1993 Dec;28(5):531–541. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Guralnik J. M., Land K. C., Blazer D., Fillenbaum G. G., Branch L. G. Educational status and active life expectancy among older blacks and whites. N Engl J Med. 1993 Jul 8;329(2):110–116. doi: 10.1056/NEJM199307083290208. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Hahn B. Health care utilization: the effect of extending insurance to adults on Medicaid or uninsured. Med Care. 1994 Mar;32(3):227–239. doi: 10.1097/00005650-199403000-00004. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Katz S. J., Hofer T. P., Manning W. G. Physician use in Ontario and the United States: The impact of socioeconomic status and health status. Am J Public Health. 1996 Apr;86(4):520–524. doi: 10.2105/ajph.86.4.520. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Marmot M. G., Smith G. D., Stansfeld S., Patel C., North F., Head J., White I., Brunner E., Feeney A. Health inequalities among British civil servants: the Whitehall II study. Lancet. 1991 Jun 8;337(8754):1387–1393. doi: 10.1016/0140-6736(91)93068-k. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Siemiatycki J., Richardson L., Pless I. B. Equality in medical care under national health insurance in Montreal. N Engl J Med. 1980 Jul 3;303(1):10–15. doi: 10.1056/NEJM198007033030103. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Smith G. D., Bartley M., Blane D. The Black report on socioeconomic inequalities in health 10 years on. BMJ. 1990 Aug 18;301(6748):373–377. doi: 10.1136/bmj.301.6748.373. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Weissman J. S., Epstein A. M. The insurance gap: does it make a difference? Annu Rev Public Health. 1993;14:243–270. doi: 10.1146/annurev.pu.14.050193.001331. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Wilkins R., Adams O., Brancker A. Changes in mortality by income in urban Canada from 1971 to 1986. Health Rep. 1989;1(2):137–174. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Yelin E. H., Kramer J. S., Epstein W. V. Is health care use equivalent across social groups? A diagnosis-based study. Am J Public Health. 1983 May;73(5):563–571. doi: 10.2105/ajph.73.5.563. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from American Journal of Public Health are provided here courtesy of American Public Health Association

RESOURCES