[Identification of disadvantaged areas; a system for resource allocation to family practitioners].
OBJECTIVE
To develop a method for the identification of underprivileged areas in the Netherlands for resource allocation to general practitioners.


METHODS
Literature review and analysis of national data.


METHODS
All postal codes in the Netherlands.


METHODS
Definition of requirements of the method, selection of required data and calculation of deprivation scores.


RESULTS
The method developed includes an index, based on income and number of people receiving income from benefit schemes, calculated for very strongly urbanized areas. Overall 87 four-digit postal codes were identified as underprivileged areas in which 875,000 people live. About one in three inhabitants of the four largest cities is living in such area.


CONCLUSIONS
For the first time in the history of Dutch health care a national method for the identification of underprivileged areas was developed. This method was adopted as a basis for making enhanced payments to general practitioners for patients living in these areas. Taking into account the availability of relevant data, the method developed is the most feasible at this stage, but it is not yet perfect. This is especially true for medium sized cities. Therefore, further validation and refinement of the method are needed.
van der Velden
J
J
Nederlands instituut voor onderzoek van de gezondheidszorg, Utrecht.
Rasch
P
P
Reijneveld
S A
SA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003467:Cultural Deprivation; D005194:Family Practice / Q000191:economics*; D005260:Female; D015276:Health Care Rationing; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014505:Urban Population; D016526:Workload