Measuring Patients’ Medical Care Preferences: Care Seeking versus Self-Treating

Julie M. Ganther, Joseph B. Wiederholt and David H. Kreling
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Julie M. Ganther: University of Iowa, Iowa City
Joseph B. Wiederholt: University of Wisconsin School of Pharmacy
David H. Kreling: University of Wisconsin School of Pharmacy

Medical Decision Making, 2001, vol. 21, issue 2, 133-140

Abstract: The objectives of this study were (1) to develop a scale to measure patient preferences for using medical care, (2) to assess the reliability and validity of the scale, and (3) to examine factors predicting preferences. Preferences were defined along a continuum, anchored by self-treating preferences and care-seeking preferences. A nine-item scale was developed and mailed to a random sample of 3500 Wisconsin consumers age 50 and older. Ordinary least squares regression was used to examine whether preferences were predicted by demographic and health status variables. A 56.9% usable response rate was obtained. The Medical Care Preference Scale was unidimensional and had a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.879. Younger individuals, women, individuals in better health, and individuals from rural areas had significantly stronger self-treating preferences. Significant correlations between the preference scale and two measures of health care utilization provided evidence of predictive validity. Individuals with care-seeking preferences used an average of 1.98 more prescription drugs and had 0.50 more physician visits in the past month than individuals with self-treating preferences. The Medical Care Preference Scale should be a useful tool for research on health care utilization.

Date: 2001
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:medema:v:21:y:2001:i:2:p:133-140

DOI: 10.1177/0272989X0102100206

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