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The Economic Crisis and Medical Care Use: Comparative Evidence from Five High-Income Countries

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  • Annamaria Lusardi
  • Daniel Schneider
  • Peter Tufano

Abstract

type="main"> We examine how the economic crisis has affected individuals’ use of routine medical care and assess the extent to which the impact varies depending on national context. Data from a new cross-national survey fielded in the United States, Great Britain, Canada, France, and Germany are used to estimate the effects of employment and wealth shocks and financial fragility on the use of routine care. We document reductions in individuals’ use of routine nonemergency medical care in the midst of the economic crisis. Americans reduced care more than individuals in Great Britain, Canada, France, and Germany. At the national level, reductions in care are related to the degree to which individuals must pay for it, and within countries, reductions are linked to shocks to wealth and employment and to financial fragility. The economic crisis has led to reductions in the use of routine medical care, and systems of national insurance provide some protection against these effects.

Suggested Citation

  • Annamaria Lusardi & Daniel Schneider & Peter Tufano, 2015. "The Economic Crisis and Medical Care Use: Comparative Evidence from Five High-Income Countries," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 96(1), pages 202-213, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:socsci:v:96:y:2015:i:1:p:202-213
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1111/ssqu.12076
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Luca Salvati, 2018. "Population growth and the economic crisis: understanding latent patterns of change in Greece, 2002–2016," Letters in Spatial and Resource Sciences, Springer, vol. 11(2), pages 105-126, July.
    2. Luca Salvati, 2020. "Demographic Dynamics, Urban Cycles and Economic Downturns: A Long-term Investigation of a Metropolitan Region in Europe, 1956–2016," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 39(3), pages 549-575, June.
    3. Rocco Palumbo, 2017. "Toward a new conceptualization of health care services to inspire public health. Public national health service as a “common pool of resources”," International Review on Public and Nonprofit Marketing, Springer;International Association of Public and Non-Profit Marketing, vol. 14(3), pages 271-287, September.
    4. Alice Chen & Anthony Lo Sasso & Michael R. Richards, 2018. "Graduating into a downturn: Are physicians recession proof?," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 27(1), pages 223-235, January.
    5. Charis E. Kubrin & Bradley J. Bartos & Richard McCleary, 2022. "The debt crisis, austerity measures, and suicide in Greece," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 103(1), pages 120-140, January.
    6. Rosanna Salvia & Gianluca Egidi & Luca Salvati & Jesús Rodrigo-Comino & Giovanni Quaranta, 2020. "In-Between ‘Smart’ Urban Growth and ‘Sluggish’ Rural Development? Reframing Population Dynamics in Greece, 1940–2019," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-18, July.
    7. Lourdes Lostao & Siegfried Geyer & Romana Albaladejo & Almudena Moreno-Lostao & Juana M Santos & Enrique Regidor, 2017. "Socioeconomic position and health services use in Germany and Spain during the Great Recession," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(8), pages 1-12, August.
    8. Jongsay Yong & Ou Yang, 2021. "Does socioeconomic status affect hospital utilization and health outcomes of chronic disease patients?," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 22(2), pages 329-339, March.
    9. Luca Salvati & Margherita Carlucci & Pere Serra & Ilaria Zambon, 2019. "Demographic Transitions and Socioeconomic Development in Italy, 1862–2009: A Brief Overview," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-12, January.

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