Abstract
Given decades of socio-epidemiological research , the social gradients in health-related quality of life, morbidity, and mortality that favor higher social status groups and disadvantage lower social status groups are factually a truism. This holds true for Germany and Europe in general as well as for other industrialized countries such as the USA or Canada. In Germany, for instance, differences in life expectancy between the highest and lowest income groups range up to 10 years. Against this background, a crucial scientific and political question is whether the health care system increases or decreases this gap. Initial research findings in Germany indicate that the gap might be influenced more by differences in utilization than in supply.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Janssen C, Borgetto B, Heller G, editors. [Medical sociology and health care research: theoretical approaches, methods, instruments and empirical results]. In German. Weinheim: Juventa; 2007.
Janßen C, Swart E, von Lengerke T. Health care utilization in Germany: The NWIn research network. GMS Psychosoc Med. 2012;9:Doc12.
Babitsch B, Gohl D, von Lengerke T. Re-revisiting Andersen’s Behavioral Model of Health Services Use: a systematic review of studies from 1998–2011. GMS Psychosoc Med. 2012;9:Doc11.
Swart E. The prevalence and the intensity of medical services. How comparable are the results of large-scale population surveys use in Germany? GMS Psychosoc Med. 2012;9:Doc10.
Wolfenstetter SB, Menn P, Holle R, Mielck A, Meisinger C, von Lengerke T. Body weight changes and outpatient medical care utilisation: Results of the MONICA/KORA cohorts S3/F3 and S4/F4. GMS Psychosoc Med. 2012;9:Doc09.
Thieme H, Borgetto B. Utilisation of rheumatology care services in Germany: the case of physical therapy and self-help groups. GMS Psychosoc Med. 2012;9:Doc08.
Janßen C, Sauter S, Kowalski C. The influence of social determinants on the use of prevention and health promotion services: Results of a systematic literature review. GMS Psychosoc Med. 2012;9:Doc07.
Lüdecke D, Mnich E, Kofahl C. The impact of sociodemographic factors on the utilisation of support services for family caregivers of elderly dependents—results from the German sample of the EUROFAMCARE study. GMS Psychosoc Med. 2012;9:Doc06.
Andersen RM. Revisiting the behavioral model and access to medical care: does it matter? J Health Soc Behav. 1995;36:1–10.
Bradley EH, McGraw SA, Curry L, Buckser A, King KL, Kasl SV, Andersen RM. Expanding the Andersen model: the role of psychosocial factors in long-term care use. Health Serv Res. 2002; 37: 1221–42
Andersen RM, Davidson PL. Improving access to care in America: individual and contextual indicators. In: Andersen RM, Rice TH, Kominski GF, editors. Changing the U.S. health care system: key issues in health services, policy, and management. 3rd edition. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass; 2007. p. 3–31.
Andersen RM, Davidson PL, Baumeister SE. Improving access to care in America. In: Kominski GF, editor. Changing the U.S. health care system: key issues in health services, policy, and management. 4th edition. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass; 2013. p. 33–69.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2014 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Janssen, C., Swart, E., von Lengerke, T. (2014). Theorizing, Empiricizing, and Analyzing Health Care Utilization in Germany: An Introduction. In: Janssen, C., Swart, E., von Lengerke, T. (eds) Health Care Utilization in Germany. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-9191-0_1
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-9191-0_1
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-9190-3
Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-9191-0
eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)