Pursuing Equity: Contact With Primary Care and Specialist Clinicians by Demographics, Insurance, and Health Status
Ann Fam Med Ferrer
5: 492
The Article in Brief
Contact with Primary Care and Specialist Clinicians by Demographics, Insurance, and Health Status
Robert L. Ferrer, MD, MPH
Background This study examines the use of primary care and specialty care among disadvantaged groups and people with chronic illness in the United States.
What This Study Found Primary care clinicians, especially family physicians, are a vital source of care for disadvantaged groups in the United States. In 2004, family physicians saw almost one-half of Americans who sought medical care and were the most commonly seen doctors among adults, senior citizens, and women of child-bearing age. Family physicians were the only clinician group that did not show unequal access to care based on patient income. Adults with low income, minority status, and lack of insurance received care from family physicians 46 percent of the time, whereas adults without disadvantage saw family physicians 31 percent of the time. Visits to family physicians were twice as high for children with disadvantage, compared with children without disadvantage.
Implications
- Primary care clinicians are an important source of equity in health care.
- This study supports a policy of developing and strengthening the primary care workforce and infrastructure in order to reduce disparities in health care.
