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Health Services Financing and Utilization
pLACE OF PHYSICIAN CONTACT
In 2003, a doctor’s office or HMO was the
usual place of sick care (not including routine or preventive care)
for nearly 79 percent of children in the United States, a rate that
varies by age and family income. Children with family incomes above
the poverty level were more likely to visit a doctor’s office
or HMO for sick care than children in poverty (82.3 versus 58.9
percent), and were less likely to visit a clinic or health center
(16.2 versus 36.7 percent). Only a small proportion of children
used a hospital emergency room or outpatient department as a source
of sick care, but children with family incomes below the poverty
level were more likely to do so than children from families with
higher incomes.
Younger children were more likely than older
children to visit clinics or health centers, hospital emergency
rooms, and hospital outpatient departments when sick. Children ages
5 to 12 years were more likely than their older and younger counterparts
to use a doctor’s office or HMO as a source of care.
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Bar Chart: Place of Physician Contact, by Age and Poverty
Level: 2003
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