Demand for medical care in a rural setting: racial comparisons

Household data from a southern rural community are used to examine racial differences in the utilization of medical care services, and both monetary and nonmonetary determinants of demand are considered. Regression analysis results indicate that office waiting time (for black households) and travel time to the provider (for both black and white households) have a greater impact on demand than price. Racial differences exist in the effects of health insurance coverage and household income on household medical visit expenditures, and both need and household size are found to be consequential determinants of demand.