User charges and the demand for acute paediatric traumatology services.
The city of Helsinki in 1991 introduced moderate patient charges for certain acute paediatric services. This provided the framework for a natural, partially controlled experiment on price elasticity of demand for acute paediatric trauma services. A cross-sectional time-series analysis of a partially controlled natural experiment was done for the period 1989-1994. The findings suggest that moderate user charges may reduce the demand for paediatric trauma services measurably. The effect was diagnosis-specific and, on average, stronger in older than in pre-school children. It probably had a negligible impact on long-term health.
Ahlamaa-Tuompo
J
J
Hospital for Children and Adolescents, University of Helsinki, Finland.
Linna
M
M
Kekomäki
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002648:Child; D002662:Child Health Services / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004630:Emergencies; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*