Sociodemographic and morbidity indicators of need in relation to the use of community health services: observational study.
OBJECTIVE
To examine whether the sociodemographic and morbidity characteristics of populations influence their use of the following community heath services: district nursing, health visiting, chiropody, community maternity, community mental illness, and the professions allied to medicine.


METHODS
Observational study.


METHODS
Nationally representative sample of provider trusts in England.


METHODS
Activity levels for each service calculated for enumeration districts within the catchment areas of the sample of trusts and standardised to allow for differences in age structure. Regression analysis to determine whether the standardised activity rates for each service could be predicted by a range of socio-demographic and morbidity proxies.


RESULTS
Morbidity or deprivation, or both, seemed to influence the use of services in each of the care programmes examined.


CONCLUSIONS
The allocation of funds for community health services should allow for differences in the health and socio-demographic characteristics of health authorities.
Buckingham
K
K
Department of Primary Health Care and General Practice, University of Plymouth.
Freeman
P R
PR
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003152:Community Health Nursing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004739:England; D015276:Health Care Rationing; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008875:Middle Aged; D009017:Morbidity; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011032:Podiatry; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors