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Characteristics of Patients with a Regular Source of Care

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Abstract

This study was designed to describe patient characteristics associated with having a regular source of care among all patients who received care from large urban clinics in Manitoba over a three-year period (N = 298,222). Using administrative data, patients were classified as having a regular source of care if they made 75% or more of their total ambulatory visits to the same clinic. Overall, 44.2% of patients had a regular source of care. A logistic regression showed that children and adults aged 45 and older were more likely to have a regular source of care than patients aged 18–44. Moreover, patients with a regular source of care tended to live in more affluent neighbourhoods and were healthier than individuals with no regular source of care. Systemic changes might be needed to enhance continuity of care (e.g., mechanisms to enhance access) among vulnerable segments of the population like the poor.

ABRÉGÉ

L’étude compare les caractéristiques des patients recevant des soins d’une source régulière et celles de tous les patients soignés dans de grandes cliniques urbaines du Manitoba sur une période de trois ans (n=298 222). À l’aide de données administratives, nous avons classé parmi les patients ayant une source de soins régulière ceux qui s’étaient rendus dans la même clinique pour au moins 75 % de leurs visites ambulatoires. Dans l’ensemble, 44,2 % des patients avaient une source de soins régulière. L’analyse de régression logistique montre que les enfants et les adultes de 45 ans et plus étaient plus susceptibles d’avoir une source de soins régulière que ceux de 18 à 44 ans. En outre, ils avaient davantage tendance à vivre dans des quartiers aisés et étaient en meilleure santé que ceux qui n’avaient pas de source de soins régulière. Il faudrait peut-être apporter des changements systémiques pour améliorer la continuité des soins (p. ex., des mécanismes facilitant l’accès) chez les segments vulnérables de la population, comme les pauvres.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Community Health Sciences and Manitoba Centre for Health Policy and Evaluation, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, R3E 0W3, Canada

    Verena H. Menec PhD, Noralou P. Roos PhD (Associate of the Canadian), Charlyn Black MD, ScD & Bogdan Bogdanovic BComm, BA

Authors
  1. Verena H. Menec PhD
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  2. Noralou P. Roos PhD
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  3. Charlyn Black MD, ScD
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  4. Bogdan Bogdanovic BComm, BA
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Verena H. Menec PhD.

Additional information

Dr. Menec holds a New Investigator Career award from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Dr. Roos is an Associate of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research and Dr. Black is a Career Scientist with the Medical Research Council.

This research resulted from a project undertaken for Manitoba Health by the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy and Evaluation. The project was funded by Manitoba Health. The results and conclusions are those of the authors, and no official endorsement by Manitoba Health is intended or should be inferred.

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Menec, V.H., Roos, N.P., Black, C. et al. Characteristics of Patients with a Regular Source of Care. Can J Public Health 92, 299–303 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03404965

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03404965

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