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Using private health insurance. A study of lay decisions to seek professional medical help
Author(s) -
Cant Sarah L.,
Calnan Michael
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
sociology of health and illness
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.146
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1467-9566
pISSN - 0141-9889
DOI - 10.1111/1467-9566.ep11007151
Subject(s) - private sector , health care , business , public relations , private life , process (computing) , actuarial science , service (business) , health insurance , private insurance , psychology , marketing , political science , economics , economic growth , law , computer science , human rights , operating system
This paper examines the decision making process associated with the use of private health insurance. In particular, it focusses on the criteria respondents draw on to decide when to use the private health sector and when not to. This is an important issue as it gives insight into how the use of the private sector relates to use of the National Health Service. It also informs the theoretical debate about help‐seeking behaviour, in particular, the usefulness of the notion of choice and ‘shopping around’ in the health care market. It is concluded that users of health care do exhibit a reasoned approach in deciding between different medical care settings, although due to lack of knowledge and passivity in the patient role, the final decision is usually made by their general practitioner.