The Importance of Sense of Community on People's Perceptions of Their Health-Care Experiences

OBJECTIVES: The authors study the relationship between people's sense of community and problems they experience with the health-care system, specifically problems related to cost, access, provider choice, and satisfaction. METHODS: Data from a 1993 Florida poll (n = 1202) was used to conduct a multinomial logit analysis to estimate people's sense of community as a function of 13 characteristics and perceptions of community. Logit analysis was used to estimate the relationship between people's sense of community and their health-care experiences, controlling for other demographic influences, including insurance coverage and self-reported health status. RESULTS: Lower sense of community was significantly associated with higher levels of choice, cost, and satisfaction problems in people's interactions with the health-care sector. CONCLUSIONS: Community quality needs to be considered in efforts to improve the functional capabilities of health-care institutions.