The aim of this study is to investigate the equity phenomenon, which can be
defined as an equal treatment for equal need irrespective of socio-economic
status, in the utilization of health care services in Turkey (for out-patient
and in-patient treatment services, separately) in the context of the
behavioral model. We have used the ?Health Surveys? obtained from the Turkish
Statistical Institute for 2010, 2012 and 2014. The equity phenomenon and the
determinants of the health care utilization are investigated by using the
probit model. The findings indicate that the need variable has the largest
marginal effect in magnitude for all types of health care. This implies that
the health system structure in Turkey is based on need and, therefore, equity
exists in the utilization of health care services. We have also found that
health insurance has the second largest marginal effect after the need
variable. This means that policy makers should focus on enabling factors,
especially the coverage of health insurance and the level of income to
increase health care utilization of the disadvantaged segments of the
population.
Health care costs in the elderly in Germany: an analysis applying Andersen’s behavioral model of health care utilization
