Non-Monetary Factors in the Demand for Health Services: The Case of Preventive Check-ups in Chile

Abstract

The present article analyzes the main variables which affect the probability of 0-17 years-old attending preventive health care in the Metropolitan Region (Greater Santiago). The study covered a sample of 11,601 children of the rural and urban zones of the Metropolitan Region, based on the 1990 CASEN survey. The results of the binomial logit models used for both the rural and urban groups are similar. We noted that when a child is a PNAC beneficiary, and, consequently, is accustomed to receiving food during periodic health controls, there is an important impact on the probability of attendance. The age variable is also relevant, in that the older children were less likely to seek preventive medical attention. On the other hand, income variables were shown to have a low impact, as were those factors related to the parents' level of education attainment. Finally, the variable of distance to the nearest health center had a negative, although small, impact.