Geschlechterspezifische Inanspruchnahme von Gesundheitsleistungen in einer urbanen Erwachsenenpopulation

AIM: This study explores gender-specific differences in the utilization of health care services in an urban population sample.

METHOD: As part of the LIFE-ADULT-Study, 2244 individuals (19-79 years) filled out a questionnaire about their use of health care services during the past year. Information regarding the frequency of general and specialized practitioners consultation, medical advice from general practitioners and utilization of preventive and health promoting programs were analyzed.

RESULTS: Women visited general practitioners or specialists and utilized prevention and health-promotion programs more often than men. No gender differences were found regarding the frequency of receiving medical advice from general practitioners.

CONCLUSIONS: The results mainly replicate prior findings showing that women utilize health care services more frequently than men. However, these gender differences vary as a function of the indicator employed and should therefore be discussed differentially.