Healthcare utilisation among the Belgian elderly in relation to their socio-economic status.
OBJECTIVE
To analyse the association between healthcare utilisation of elderly persons (65 and over) in Belgium in terms of contacts with GP or specialist and the socio-economic indicators household income, highest educational level within the household, and housing tenure.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study based on 4494 non-institutionalised elderly participants in the Belgian Health Interview Surveys of 2001 and 2004. Socio-economic gradients in contacts (yes or no) with a GP or specialist were explored, based on the socio-behavioural model of Andersen, a conceptual framework that includes the most important determinants of healthcare utilisation. Three multivariate models were constructed using multiple logistic regression.


RESULTS
After adjustment for age, sex, health status (self-assessed health, functional restrictions, and comorbidity), region, and living situation, initial differences in contacts with a GP and specialist between the different socio-economic groups disappeared among the elderly. On the other hand, contacts with a specialist remain dependent on SES in the younger population.


CONCLUSIONS
Adjustment for the determinants of healthcare utilisation among the Belgian elderly nullified the socio-economic gradients in contacts with a GP and specialist that initially existed. The results point to a potential link with the Belgian social and health policy.
Hoeck
Sarah
S
Department of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium. sarah.hoeck@ua.ac.be
François
Guido
G
Van der Heyden
Johan
J
Geerts
Joanna
J
Van Hal
Guido
G
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001530:Belgium; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012923:Social Class