National sickness insurance and the use of physicians' services in Finland

Abstract

The implementation of a national sickness insurance program in Finland in 1964 was accompanied by a two-phase evaluation study to supply the health planners and decision-makers with information about the expediency of the program as well as further needs for changes in the national health policy. A national health survey of 25, 000 persons was conducted in 1964, prior to the sickness insurance program, and another survey was carried out 4 years later to collect the necessary data. In this paper, a part of the results of the study are presented. The changes in the sickness behavior of the population, as reflected in the utilization of the ambulatory services of physicians, are examined. Basic utilization rates as well as results concerning the determinants of seeking of ambulatory care of physicians are given. The results suggest that the changes in the sickness behavior are in accordance with the main aims of the national sickness insurance program, although the latter were not completely attained.