Is socioeconomic status associated with utilization of health care services in a single-payer universal health care system?

Table 2 Multivariable analysis of primary endpoints in 2008

	ED visits		Hospitalization days		Cost of imaging		Medication cost		Visits to primary physician		Visits to specialists in hospital out-patient clinic		Visits to specialists without referral
Parameter³	RR²	p-value	RR²	p-value	RR²	p-value	RR²	p-value	RR²	p-value	RR²	p-value	RR²	p-value
Age by 2002, year	1.00	0.295	1.04	<.001	1.00	<.001	1.02	<.001	1.01	<.001	1.01	<.001	1.00	0.071
Male Gender	1.13	<.001	1.02	0.612	0.68	<.001	1.03	0.062	0.79	<.001	0.79	<.001	0.51	<.001
Origin vs Israeli born
USA or Europe	0.98	0.582	0.89	0.067	1.04	0.389	1.07	0.008	0.90	<.001	1.02	0.706	1.02	0.217
Former USSR	0.78	<.001	0.98	0.748	1.03	0.442	1.17	<.001	0.89	<.001	0.91	0.046	1.04	0.009
Africa or Asia	1.23	<.001	1.24	<.001	1.16	<.001	0.96	0.045	1.11	<.001	1.32	<.001	1.12	<.001
South America	0.81	0.023	0.79	0.141	1.15	0.163	1.03	0.691	1.08	0.024	1.05	0.702	1.12	0.013
Ethiopia	0.79	0.008	1.16	0.324	0.81	0.026	2.43	<.001	1.02	0.583	0.70	0.010	0.96	0.389
Charlson score¹	1.08	<.001	1.34	<.001	1.11	<.001	1.46	<.001	1.03	<.001	1.08	<.001	0.98	0.001
Complementary insurance	1.22	<.001	1.09	0.023	1.46	<.001	1.54	<.001	1.25	<.001	1.33	<.001	1.44	<.001
SES status (low, medium, high)	0.90	<.001	0.85	<.001	1.03	0.047	1.06	<.001	0.84	<.001	1.05	0.008	1.06	<.001

¹Age is not included in the score.
²RR = Relative Risk obtained as exponent (Regression Coefficient (B)), presenting a multiplicative effect of an independent factor on the outcome variable.
³All independent factors are adjusted to all other factors in the table.

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