Socioeconomic influence on small area hospital utilization.

摘要: Health care policy makers, concerned with the rising cost of health care, have focused on observed variation in use hospitals as a potential area which to lower costs, i.e., if hospital utilization can be decreased, costs may also decline. However, it is crucial that reasons for current practice understood or attempts reduce lead policies harm groups patients and providers institutions currently delivering care. Using discharge data from 59 market communities peninsula Michigan 1984-86, authors examined possible associations between socioeconomic characteristics small rates. First, series Poisson regressions was used each five covariates 112 modified diagnosis-related (DRGs). Then, multiple were examined, utilizing characteristics, after excluding statistically influential communities. The results indicate community including education, poverty, unemployment, significant association rate many DRGs. Moreover, direction effect consistent across disease categories. In regressions, selected variables explained 48% variance medical admissions 19% surgical admissions. For most DRGs, high educational levels associated hospitalization identified whose profile different Michigan.