Abstract
This study examines nonelderly women’s concurrent use of two types of physicians (generalists
and obstetrician-gynecologists) for regular health care and associations with receipt
of preventive care, including a range of recommended screening, counseling, and heart
disease prevention services. Data are from the 1999 Women’s Health Care Experiences
Survey conducted in Baltimore, Maryland, using random digit dialing (N = 509 women ages 18 to 64). Key findings are: 58% of women report using two physicians
(a generalist and an ob/gyn) for regular care; seeing both a generalist and an ob/gyn,
compared with seeing a generalist alone, is consistently associated with receiving
more clinical preventive services, including screening, counseling, and preventive
services related to heart disease. Because seeing an ob/gyn in addition to a generalist
physician is associated with receiving recommended preventive services (even for heart
disease), the findings suggest that non-elderly women who rely on a generalist alone
may receive substandard preventive care. The implications for women’s access to ob/gyns
and for appropriate design of women’s primary care are discussed.
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Article info
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Copyright
© 2002 The Jacob’s Institute of Women’s Health. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
