A Social Indicator of Access to Medical Care

This study introduces a social indicator of access to medical care-the symptoms-response ratiothat reflects the difference between the number of visits in response to symptoms that actually occur and the number that a panel of physicians indicate is appropriatefor these same symptoms. Findings on the indexfor a national sample of the United States population affirm differentials in access that are generally thought to exist in terms of other access indicators (conventional use measures, insurance coverage, etc.). Nonwhites, ruralfarm people, the poor, and those who have no usual place to gofor medical care werefound to have less access to care than would be judged appropriate, based on the symptoms-response index. The index also suggests possible over-utilization among certain groups such as children and people. who see specialists as their regular source of care.