Abstract

CODOGNO, Jamile Sanches; TURI, Bruna Camilo; FERNANDES, Rômulo Araújo  and  MONTEIRO, Henrique Luiz. Comparison of expenditures related to primary health care in men and women from Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil, 2010. Epidemiol. Serv. Saúde [online]. 2015, vol.24, n.1, pp.115-122. ISSN 1679-4974.

OBJECTIVE: to compare expenditure on primary health care services for men and women in Bauru-SP, Brazil. METHODS: cross-sectional study with a sample composed of randomly selected health service users’ aged ≥50 years. Healthcare expenditure over the last 12 months was analyzed and stratified into: medical consultations, exams, medication and overall expenditure. RESULTS: 707 women and 256 men were assessed. Women had higher overall expenditures than men (median: R$128.1 versus R$108.6; p-value=0.027). Comparing females and males, being female was associated with higher medical consultation expenditure (27.6% versus 18.4%, respectively p-value=0.005) and exams (27.1% versus 19.5%, respectively p-value=0.022). After statistical adjustments (smoking, socioeconomic status, physical activity and overweight), being female was still associated with higher exam-related expenditure (Odds Ratio= 1.47; 95% confidence interval: 1.01-2.14). CONCLUSION: women have higher expenditure related to exams than men. Female obesity was associated with medical consultation higher expenditure.

Keywords : Cost Control; Health Expenditures; Sex; Primary Health Care; Cross-Sectional Studies.

        · abstract in Portuguese | Spanish     · text in Portuguese     · Portuguese ( pdf )