How do socio-economic factors and distance predict access to prevention and rehabilitation services in a Danish municipality?
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
Aim: The aim was to explore to which extent a Danish prevention centre catered for marginalised groups within the catchment area. We examined if the district’s socio-economic vulnerability status and distance from the citizens’ residential sector to the centre influenced referrals of citizens to the centre, citizens’ attendance at initial appointment and completion of planned activities at the centre.
Background: Disparities in access to health care services is one among many aspects of inequality in health. The determinants within populations (e.g. socio-economic status, ethnicity and education) as well as the health care systems (e.g. resource availability and cultural acceptability) are many.
Methods: A total of 347 participants referred to the centre during a period of 10 months were included. For each of 44 districts within the catchment area, the degree of socio-economic vulnerability was estimated based on the citizens’ educational level, ethnicity, income, and unemployment rate and a socio-economic vulnerability score (SE-score) was calculated. Logistic regression was used to describe the probability that a person was referred to the centre, attended the initial appointment and completed the planned activities, depending on sex, age, SE-score of district of residence and distance to the centre.
Findings: Citizens from locations with a high socio-economic vulnerability had increased probability of being referred by general practitioners, hospital and job centre. Citizens living further away from the prevention centre had a reduced probability of being referred by their general practitioners. After referral there was no difference in probability of attendance or completion as a function of SE-score or distance between the citizens’ district and the centre. In conclusion, the centre is capable of attracting referrals from districts where the need is likely to be relatively high in terms of socio-economic vulnerability, whereas distance reduced the probability of referral. No differences were found in attendance or completion.
Background: Disparities in access to health care services is one among many aspects of inequality in health. The determinants within populations (e.g. socio-economic status, ethnicity and education) as well as the health care systems (e.g. resource availability and cultural acceptability) are many.
Methods: A total of 347 participants referred to the centre during a period of 10 months were included. For each of 44 districts within the catchment area, the degree of socio-economic vulnerability was estimated based on the citizens’ educational level, ethnicity, income, and unemployment rate and a socio-economic vulnerability score (SE-score) was calculated. Logistic regression was used to describe the probability that a person was referred to the centre, attended the initial appointment and completed the planned activities, depending on sex, age, SE-score of district of residence and distance to the centre.
Findings: Citizens from locations with a high socio-economic vulnerability had increased probability of being referred by general practitioners, hospital and job centre. Citizens living further away from the prevention centre had a reduced probability of being referred by their general practitioners. After referral there was no difference in probability of attendance or completion as a function of SE-score or distance between the citizens’ district and the centre. In conclusion, the centre is capable of attracting referrals from districts where the need is likely to be relatively high in terms of socio-economic vulnerability, whereas distance reduced the probability of referral. No differences were found in attendance or completion.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Primary Health Care Research and Development |
| ISSN | 1463-4236 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2016 |
ID: 317084741