168176 20260128122451.0 doi 10.1093/eurpub/cku123 sideral 89609 ART-2015-89609 eng Diaz,E. How do immigrants use primary health care services? A register-based study in Norway 2015 Background: Immigrant’s use of primary health care (PHC) services differs from that of native’s, but studies are non-consistent, and the importance of individual explaining variables like socio-economic status, morbidity burden and length of stay in the host country is uncertain. Methods: Registry-based study using merged data from the National Population Register and the Norwegian Health Economics Administration Database for all immigrants and natives ≥15 years registered in Norway in 2008 (3 739 244 persons), applying the Johns Hopkins ACG® Case-Mix System. Using multivariate binary logistic and negative binomial regression analyses, respectively, we compared overall use of PHC and number of visits to PHC between immigrants and natives, and investigated the significance of socio-economic, immigration and morbidity variables. Results: A significantly lower percentage of immigrants used the general practitioner (GP) compared with natives. Among GP users, however, most immigrants used the GP at a 2–15% significantly higher rate compared with natives. Older immigrants used their GP less and at lower rates than younger immigrants. A significantly lower percentage of immigrants from high-income countries, but a higher percentage of all other immigrants used emergency services compared with natives, with no differences in use rates. Morbidity burden and length of stay were essential explaining variables. Conclusion: Lower use of PHC among immigrants could be due to better health or to access barriers, and should be further studied, especially for the oldest immigrants. Adjusted high frequency of use may be appropriate, but it might also be a signal of non-effective contacts. Access copy available to the general public Unrestricted info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess All rights reserved http://www.europeana.eu/rights/rr-f/ 2.751 2015 PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH 18 / 152 = 0.118 2015 Q1 T1 PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH 38 / 171 = 0.222 2015 Q1 T1 1.344 2015 Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health 2015 Q1 info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion Calderón-Larrañaga,A. (orcid)0000-0001-9064-9222 Prado-Torres,A. Poblador-Plou,B. Gimeno-Feliu,L. Universidad de Zaragoza (orcid)0000-0003-2928-6623 1007 610 Universidad de Zaragoza Dpto. Medicina, Psiqu. y Derm. Area Medicina 25, 1 (2015), 72-78 Eur. j. public health European Journal of Public Health 1101-1262 272018 http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/168176/files/texto_completo.pdf Versión publicada 3492828 http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/168176/files/texto_completo.jpg?subformat=icon icon Versión publicada oai:zaguan.unizar.es:168176 articulos driver 2026-01-28-11:22:44 ARTICLE