Socio-medical determinants of hospital utilization in Quebec, Canada, 1970-1975

The relationship between ambulatory physician use and hospitalization was studied using aggregate data in the Province of Quebec, Canada. The analysis showed that the introduction of health insurance covering physician services had a negligible influence on hospitalization. The average length of short-term hospital stays was determined by the proportion of aged population, the proportion of English speaking persons, and the prior level of hospitalization in the medical market areas. Overall, hospital discharge rates remained very constant during the period of six years (1970-1975). There were, however, reductions in hospitalization for infectious diseases, diseases of the blood and blood-forming organs, respiratory diseases, and diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue, and increases in the hospitalization rates for neoplasms, circulatory system disorders, musculoskeletal conditions, congenital anomalies, and perinatal morbidity and mortality.