title: [Willingness of Warsaw inhabitants to cooperate with health service. III. Use of different types of treatment].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The global economic crisis led to the need to reduce the public expenditure, including health care. In a situation of reduction of the publicly guaranteed benefits, some services may be available only in private physicians for particular patients. Therefore, there is a need to examine factors determining the use of both types of health care.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to assess the association between the use of free treatment of general practitioner and the use of private physician services on one hand, and health and its disorders, assessment of physician, and expenditure on treatment of the Warsaw inhabitants on other hand.
  
  
  METHODS
  The data were collected from 402 Warsaw inhabitants by not-addressed questionnaire elaborated in Health Promotion and Postgraduate Education Department of the National Institute of Public Health-National Institute of Hygiene.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our findings showed that the majority of respondents used the both types of health care. Males, people from the youngest and the oldest group, those having elementary education, students and unemployed were more likely to use only free treatment from general practitioner, whereas people aged 30-44 years, higher educated, employed and those depending on other people were more often treated only by private physicians. The beneficiaries of only private physician services higher evaluated their health, physically felt better, perceived stronger social support and rarely remained at home due to illness. Private physicians were evaluated more positively in comparison with general practitioner practicing in public health care, nevertheless, the difference was not large. With respect to their own financial situation, the people using private physician services did not find higher medical expenses than those using only the general practitioner of public health care. CONCLUSIONS. Our research indicates that uncontrolled development of private medical services market may increase inequality in access to health care, if not protected by appropriate access to public health care.
authors.affiliation: Zakład Promocji Zdrowia i Szkolenia Podyplomowego Narodowego Instytutu Zdrowia Publicznego-Państwowego Zakładu Higieny w Warszawie. psupranowicz@pzh.gov.pl
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Supranowicz
authors.forename: Mirosław J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Wysocki
authors.forename: Justyna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Car
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Debska
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gebska-Kuczerowska
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003256:Community Participation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003710:Demography; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005102:Health Expenditures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011044:Poland; D017149:Private Sector / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017150:Public Sector / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data