Abstract
Elderly choose between utilizing private or public health care providers based on their socioeconomic, demographic, and epidemiological condition. The purposes of this study was to evaluate how these factors affect the choice of health care provider and to compare the impact of their choice on individual and family income. Data from 7,920 elders interviewed in a study of the State Committee for the Elderly of the state of Rio Grande do Sul in 1995 was used to evaluate the impact of elders' gender, age, educational level, individual income, family income, family size, participation in the family total income, and health self-assessment when choosing private or public health care providers. The statistical analysis was carried out using logistic regression. To have access to private health care providers, family income had a much more significant impact than individual income. When family income increased in one minimum wage, the odds of using private providers increased by 20% while it was only 7% when there was a similar increase in individual income. Other variables had also a positive impact: female, age, schooling, and smaller family size. Elderly choices' on health care depend on the family's needs and resources and not on the individual's condition. Therefore, low-income elderly health is a lower priority in the family and it is disproportionately impaired by reduced family resources and deficiencies of public health care.
Highlights
When family income increased in one minimum wage, the odds of using private providers increased by 20% while it was only 7% when there was a similar increase in individual income
Quality and cost in health care choice in developing countries
Summary
To have access to private health care providers, family income had a much more significant impact than individual income. O objetivo do presente trabalho é analisar que fatores demográficos, econômicos e sociais exercem influência no idoso na sua escolha de local de atendimento, por meio da comparação entre a rede pública e a privada. A comparação entre os resultados dos três modelos permite uma análise mais detalhada e rigorosa de como cada variável independente influencia a escolha do local de atendimento. As razões de chance com valores acima de 1,0 indicam que a presença ou o maior valor do fator explicativo aumentam as chances do idoso ter utilizado a rede privada de atendimento. Como um dos objetivos do presente trabalho é a comparação entre a influência da renda individual e a familiar, a Tabela 1 compara a distribuição de idosos de acordo com a definição de rendimento. Tabela 1 - Percentagem de renda mensal de idosos de acordo com a definição de rendimento. (N=7.920)
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