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Comment
. 2002 Nov-Dec;93 Suppl 2(Suppl 2):S57-62.
doi: 10.1007/BF03403620.

Health service utilization by Manitoba children

Marni Brownell  1 , Anita Kozyrkyj, Noralou Roos, David Friesen, Teresa Mayer, Kip Sullivan
Affiliations
Comment

Health service utilization by Manitoba children

Marni Brownell et al. Can J Public Health. 2002 Nov-Dec.

Abstract
in English, French

Objective: To compare physician and hospital utilization rates by children across subregions of Manitoba.

Methods: 1998/99 data for physician visits and hospitalizations for children aged 0 to 19 were extracted from the Population Health Research Data Repository. Rates of utilization were compared across 12 regions (RHAs) within Manitoba, and 12 community areas within Winnipeg. Rates were also compared across premature mortality rates (PMR) and area income levels.

Results: Substantial regional variation was found for utilization rates. The hospitalization rate for children from the three northern RHAs (highest PMRs) (114/1000) was almost four times the Winnipeg rate (30/1000) and almost double the rate for the rural south RHAs (lowest PMRs) (59/1000). The variation among regions in physician visits ranged from under 2 visits in 2 of the northern RHAs to almost 4 visits in urban areas. However, the low visit rates in rural RHAs are offset somewhat by greater use of nurses. Hospitalizations and physician visits were also related to area income level.

Conclusion: Findings are discussed in terms of health care need.

Objectif: Comparer les taux d’hospitalisation et de visites chez le médecin pour les enfants des sous-régions du Manitoba.

Méthode: les données de 1998–1999 sur les visites chez le médecin et les hospitalisations des enfants (de 0 à 19 ans), proviennent du Population Health Research Data Repository. On a comparé les taux respectifs dans 12 ORS du Manitoba et 12 CR de Winnipeg, et comparés ces taux aux TMP et aux niveaux de revenu régionaux.

Résultats: D’importants écarts régionaux ont été observés. Le taux d’hospitalisation des enfants des trois ORS nordiques (dont les TMP étaient les plus élevés) (114/1 000) était près de quatre fois celui de Winnipeg (30/1 000) et près du double de celui des ORS du Sud rural (dont les TMP étaient les moins élevés) (59/1 000). Pour ce qui est des visites chez le médecin, elles étaient inférieures à deux dans deux des ORS nordiques, mais allaient jusqu’à quatre dans les agglomérations urbaines. Toutefois, le faible taux des visites chez le médecin dans les ORS ruraux était compensé dans une certaine mesure par le recours accru aux infirmières. Les hospitalisations et les visites chez le médecin présentaient aussi un lien avec le niveau de revenu.

Conclusion: Ces constatations sont examinées dans l’optique des besoins en soins de santé.

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References

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