Testing the Behavioral Model of Health Services Use for a Disabled Population

Abstract

This research examines the factors that determine physician use in a physically disabled and the mentally disabled population using Andersen's Behavioral Model of Utilization. It also examines the predisposing, enabling and needs factors that are most important in determining physician use for this disabled population. The hypotheses for propose that predisposing, enabling, and need factors will individually have positive effects on physician use by the disabled in this study. Data are obtained from a survey of Oregon's disabled Medicaid population conducted in 1998 by a non-profit research organization. Only physically and mentally disabled individuals are included in the analysis (n=1266). A hierarchical approach is used to determine if individual concepts are significant predictors of physician use for these subgroups. Logistic regression is used to test the hypotheses. The data partially support the hypotheses. Widowed status (predisposing), presence of a regular doctor (enabling) and health status (need) are significant predictors of physician use for the physically disabled. Gender (a predisposing factor), presence of a regular physician (an enabling factor), and health status (a need factor) are significant predictors of physician use for the mentally disabled. Limitations of the study and suggestions for future research are discussed.