The use of outpatient care services among working-age persons is strongly differentiated according to labour market status  

Background We examined the use of outpatient health care organized by different schemes according to labour market status.

Methods Outpatient physician and nurse visits at the public and private schemes, occupational health care and specialized care in 2018 were examined using register data on 25–64-year-old residents of Oulu. The study population was classified into four labour market status groups. Visits to different care schemes were examined using descriptive methods and negative binomial regression models, adjusting for covariates.

Results During the year, 84% of those who were employed throughout the year, 82% of those who were employed for part of the year, 76% of the mainly unemployed and 81 % of those mainly outside the labour force had used outpatient health services. Use of different schemes was strongly differentiated according to labour market status. Those outside the labour force had more contact days than others. Adjusting for covariates partly explained the differences between the groups.

Conclusions The overall picture of the use of health services in different population groups depends on which schemes are taken into account. When examining all services combined, the proportions of health care users are quite similar according to labour market positions.

Jenni Blomgren

Ph.D. (Sociology), Associate Professor

Research Manager, Kela – The Social Insurance Institution of Finland, Research

Sauli Jäppinen

Kaisla Lahdensuo