Social science & medicine
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Social science & medicine · Nov 2002
Change in determinants of use of physician services in Finland between 1987 and 1996.
The determinants of use of physician services in Finland in 1987 and 1996 were studied to evaluate how the utilisation altered over this period, which saw fairly radical changes in Finnish health care and the entire economy. We used econometric methods to describe the changes in structure and level of utilisation. The study was based on the Finnish Health Care Surveys of 1987 and 1996, which were nationally representative cross-sectional samples of the total non-institutionalised population. ⋯ Among adults aged 18-64, the most important structural change was an increase of the effect of self-rated health status variables on utilisation. Inequity in utilisation of services persisted with respect to income. In conclusion it can be stated that Finland's tax-based and locally decentralised health care system adapted quite well to the radical changes experienced during the study period.