Socioeconomic inequalities in health care utilisation in Norway: the population-based HUNT3 survey

International Journal for Equity in Health

Steinar Westin¹  Steinar Krokstad²  Eirik Vikum¹ 

[1] Department of Public Health and General Practice, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), MTFS, 7489, Trondheim, Norway;Levanger Hospital, Nord-Trøndelag Health Authority, Trondheim, Norway

关键词: Norway;    Public health;    Utilisation;    Health services research;    Health care;    Social inequalities;   

Others  :  828314
DOI  :  10.1186/1475-9276-11-48

 received in 2012-03-26, accepted in 2012-08-10,  发布年份 2012

【 摘 要 】

Background

In this study we investigated the distribution of self-reported health care utilisation by education and household income in a county population in Norway, in a universal public health care system based on ideals of equal access for all according to need, and not according to wealth.

Methods

The study included 24,147 women and 20,608 men aged 20 years and above in the third Nord-Trøndelag Health Survey (HUNT 3) of 2006–2008. Income-related horizontal inequity was estimated through concentration indexes, and inequity by both education and income was estimated as risk ratios through conventional regression.

Results

We found no overall pro-rich or pro-educated socioeconomic gradient in needs-adjusted utilisation of general practitioner or inpatient care. However, we found overall pro-rich and pro-educated inequity in utilisation of both private medical specialists and hospital outpatient care. For these services there were large differences in levels of inequity between younger and older men and women.

Conclusion

In contrast with recent studies from Norway, we found pro-rich and pro-educated social inequalities in utilisation of hospital outpatient services and not only private medical specialists. Utilisation of general practitioner and inpatient services, which have low access threshold or are free of charge, we found to be equitable.

【 授权许可】

   
2012 Vikum et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

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