Sex differences in the utilization of health services for psychiatric problems in Saskatchewan

Comprehensive data on all pscyhiatric patients in Saskatchewan show that women are substantially higher users of health services for psychiatric problems than are men. Women: 1) use up to twice as many services as men in the private sector, but use almost the same number of public sector services; 2) tend to be treated for psychosomatic and neurotic disorders on an outpatient basis; 3) have only a slightly greater chance than men of being hospitalized; and 4) are less likely than men to have organic or addictive diagnoses. These differentials in utilization cannot be explained by age, diagnoses and/or marital status. Sex is the best predictor of utilization. These results are largely consistent with utilization and epidemiological literature. It seems more likely that these sex differences in utilization result from the interaction of biology, sex roles, and the functioning and labelling processes of the health system rather than from any single factor. Combining Andersen's components of health behaviour with Freidson's lay-professional construction of illness continuum yields a possible framework for understanding sex differences in the utilization of psychiatric health services.