Socioeconomic distribution of health and health care utilization in a new town in Hong Kong, China.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the association of socioeconomic indicators with various chronic and acute illnesses and the utilization of public health care in a new town in Hong Kong, China.


METHODS
Illness experience and socioeconomic and demographic data of 7570 residents from 2022 randomly selected households were collected through telephone interviews. The relationships between socioeconomic indicators and illnesses/choice of health care were explored using stepwise logistic regressions after adjusting for sex and age.


RESULTS
Significant positive associations were noted between low household income and diabetes mellitus, any chronic illnesses among adults and flu among younger subjects; low educational level and accident-related illness among adults; being born in Chinese mainland and flu, any acute illness in adults. For the utilization of public health care, low household income was the most consistent risk factor.


CONCLUSIONS
This study did not demonstrate a unidirectional socioeconomic gradient in health but supported the hypothesis that socioeconomic deprivation was associated with the utilization of public health care.
Yu
Tak Sun Ignatius
TS
Department of Community and Family Medicine, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N T, Hong Kong SAR, China. iyu@cuhk.edu.hk
Wong
Tze Wai
TW
D000208:Acute Disease / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002681:China; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002947:Cities; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004522:Educational Status; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors