Gender-Specific Utilization of Outpatient Medical and Preventive Programs in a Rural Area

Abstract

The aim of this study was to provide representative results on gender-specific utilization of outpatient medical and preventive care in a peripheral rural area. 1,246 adult inhabitants were interviewed in the Rural Health Study 2008. Answers to the utilization of outpatient care and behavioral health preventive programs were analyzed by bivariate analyses and by multiple regression analyses. Bivariate analyses show gender-specific differences in the utilization of the services of not only urologists and gynecologists but also of general practitioners, dentists, oculists, radiologists and preventive programs for weight reduction, healthy nutrition, back gymnastics and stress handling. Multivariate models show that women compared with men independent of age, social status and health status have higher opportunities to utilize outpatient care (OR 1,81; 95%-CI 1,11-2,94) and behavioral health preventive programs (OR 2,46; 95%-CI 1,62-3,74). The results of the present study confirm existing results on higher utilization of health services by women independent of their health status. Although regional studies never can be transmitted directly to other regions, we assume that as long as no other regional studies are available, these results could be extrapolated to other peripheral regions in Germany.