Patterns of Primary Care Utilization in a Triethnic Urban Population of School Children

Patterns of primary health care utilization for a random sample of urban elementary school children in three ethnic groups are described. Visit type, reasons for visit, and frequency of visits remained stable from year to year. More than 50 per cent of the children were non-visitors each year; 72 per cent of those not visiting the first year also did not visit the second year. Anglo-Americans were more likely to be non-visitors. Enrollment in a children and youth project is examined as a system factor that enabled limited-income families to seek comprehensive medical services. Analysis of the lowest two social classes indicated that significantly fewer Anglos than Mexican-Americans and blacks were enrolled in the Children and Youth Project. The proportion of Anglo non-visitors in the enrolled group was higher than the proportion of enrolled non-visitors in the Mexican-American and black population. Each year, significantly more children in the non-visitor category were in the non-enrolled group regardless of ethnicity

Environmental health · Ethnic group · Family income · Family medicine · Population · Primary care · Visitor pattern · Child and Adolescent Health · Demography · Food Security and Health in Diverse Populations · Healthcare Policy and Management · Medicine

• Patterns of Medical Care

  Jerry A Solon, Jerry Solon et al.•American Journal of Public Health…•1960

  Add to list

• Factors affecting the choice of hospital-based ambulatory care by the urban poor

  T J Skinner, B S Price et al.•American Journal of Public Health•1977

  Add to list

• Primary Care in Durham County

  Stephen B Thacker, Eva J Salber et al.•Medical Care•1979

  Add to list

• Differential Access to Preventive Services for Young Children in Low-Income Urban Areas

  Thomas T H Wan, Lois C Gray•Journal of Health and Social…•1978

  Add to list