Equity in the utilization of public health care services by regions in Spain: a multinivel analysis.

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to analyse if there is horizontal equity in the utilisation of public health care services by región (comunidad autónoma) of residence in Spain. Data from the 2006 National Health Survey were considered to undertake a multilevel analysis, using a binary logistic function for each of the public health care services analysed (general practitioner –GP- visits, specialist visits and hospitalisations). Health care need and other socioeconomic and demographic characteristics were controlled at individual level. It can be concluded that, although there is no evidence of territorial inequity in hospitalisations, there is territorial inequity in the case of GP and also of specialist visits, which can not be explained by regional differences in the availability of resources at both health care levelsEquitiy, public health care utilization, multinivel analysis, region.