Influence of living arrangements on health services utilisation in Australia.

BACKGROUND

The number of people living alone is increasing markedly. Others live as couples only, couples with child(ren) and single adult with child(ren). Health service utilisation could differ for people in different living arrangements as a result of varying levels of risk factors, health status, access to informal care and decision-making for accessing care.

OBJECTIVE

To identify the association between living arrangements and health service use.

METHODS

The Australian Bureau of Statistics' National Health Survey 2001 data for people 18-65 years old were analysed for household composition and service use.

RESULTS

People in various household types differ in terms of their overall use of health services and their use of services by general practitioners. Sex, rurality, socioeconomic status and status of heart condition significantly influenced the use of health services.

CONCLUSION

There are implications for health services provision and planning within the context of rapid changes in living arrangements. Additional research is required to explore the reasons to such differences, level of access to informal care, healthcare decision-making processes and consequences of under- or over-utilisation of services.