title: [Health insurance coverage of the elderly and socioepidemiological characteristics associated].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine sociodemographic and epidemiological factors associated with private health insurance coverage in the elderly.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 2,143 individuals aged 60 years or more were interviewed in the city of São Paulo in 2000 and 2006. Having private health insurance was the dichotomous dependent variable. Independent variables included sociodemographic characteristics and self-reported health status. The proportions of the variables studied were described and a logistic regression model considering those variables significant at p < 0.05 was constructed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The elderly with private insurance coverage had significantly higher income and education. The elderly with no private insurance were screened less for cancer and more for respiratory diseases; they waited longer for appointments; they performed less medical tests; they reported fewer conditions and more falls and had a more negative self-rated health. The insured respondents reported lower vaccination rates and, among those hospitalized, 11.1% had their medical costs covered by the Brazilian National Health System (SUS) in 2000 and 17.9% in 2006. Osteoporosis was the single condition associated with private health insurance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The elderly with private insurance coverage had significantly higher income and education than those with no private coverage, and these differences were associated with service utilization and social determinants of health.
authors.affiliation: Ministério do Desenvolvimento Social e Combate à Fome, Governo Federal, Brasília, DF, Brasil. elizabethschernandes@gmail.com
authors.forename: Elizabeth S C
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Hernandes
authors.forename: Maria Lúcia
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Lebrão
authors.forename: Yeda A O
authors.initials: YA
authors.lastname: Duarte
authors.forename: Jair L Ferreira
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Santos
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001938:Brazil; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D019458:Insurance Coverage / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D017061:Prepaid Health Plans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017149:Private Sector; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D014850:Waiting Lists