Gender Differences in Health-Care Utilization Among Older Adults in Spain
Author Information
Author(s): Redondo-Sendino Áurea, Guallar-Castillón Pilar, Banegas José Ramón, Rodríguez-Artalejo Fernando
Primary Institution: Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
Hypothesis
What factors contribute to gender differences in the utilization of health-care services among the elderly in Spain?
Conclusion
Elderly women in Spain utilize health-care services more than men, primarily due to a higher number of chronic diseases and poorer health-related quality of life.
Supporting Evidence
- Women visited medical practitioners more frequently than men.
- Women received more home medical visits than men.
- Women took more medications than men.
- No significant gender differences were found in hospital admissions.
Takeaway
Older women in Spain go to the doctor and take more medicine than older men because they are often sicker and feel worse about their health.
Methodology
Cross-sectional study using a representative sample of the non-institutionalized Spanish population aged 60 and over, with data collected through personal interviews.
Potential Biases
Self-reported data may lead to underestimation or overestimation of health service use.
Limitations
The cross-sectional design limits causal interpretations, and the data are self-reported, which may introduce bias.
Participant Demographics
The sample included 1672 women (55.18%) and 1358 men (44.82%), with a mean age of 71.9 years for women and 70.7 years for men.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Confidence Interval
95% CL: 1.07–1.44
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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