The effect of socioeconomic status on access to primary care: an audit study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Health care office staff and providers may discriminate against people of low socioeconomic status, even in the absence of economic incentives to do so. We sought to determine whether socioeconomic status affects the response a patient receives when seeking a primary care appointment.

Methods

In a single unannounced telephone call to a random sample of family physicians and general practices (n = 375) in Toronto, Ontario, a male and a female researcher each played the role of a patient seeking a primary care physician. Callers followed a script suggesting either high (i.e., bank employee transferred to the city) or low (i.e., recipient of social assistance) socioeconomic status, and either the presence or absence of chronic health conditions (diabetes and low back

SUBMITTER: Olah ME 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3612171 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature