Sex Differences in Medical Care Utilization: An Empirical Investigation

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Abstract
This study examines factors related to sex differences in outpatient medical care utilization in a representative sample from a defined geographical area. Medical care use was measured using records from virtually all providers in the area. The multivariate model developed explained more than 80% of the sex difference in outpatient utilization in the year preceding the interview, but only about one-third of the difference in the year after the interview. The most important predictors of sex differences were reported number of chronic health conditions and whether or not a woman gave birth during the study period. The analyses of these data and data from other studies indicate that part of the sex differences in utilization can be attributed to real differences in health. Adjusting utilization rates for reported tendency to use physician services and belief in preventive medicine also helped explain the sex difference, but only for prior use.

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