Gender differences in the use of XXXX outpatient specialist services in Troms  , Norway are dependent on age: a population-based cross-sectional survey.

@entity1 @entity308 @entity148 @entity146
BACKGROUND: Overall, @entity1 are less likely than @entity1 to seek health care services for mental health problems, but differences between genders in higher age groups are equivocal. The aim of the current study was to investigate the association between gender and the use of @entity146 outpatient specialist services in Norway, both in a general population and in a subpopulation with self-reported @entity308 . METHODS: Using questionnaires from 12,982 @entity1 (30-87 years) in the cross-sectional sixth Troms   Study (2007-8) we estimated proportions reporting @entity308 , and proportions using @entity146 outpatient specialist services in a year. By logistic regressions we studied the association between gender and the use of @entity146 outpatient specialist services. Analyses were adjusted for age, marital status, income, education, self-reported degree of @entity308 , and GP visits last year. Analyses were also performed for genders separately. RESULTS: @entity148 / @entity308 was reported by 21.5 % of @entity1 and 12.3 % of @entity1 in the general population. Visits to @entity146 outpatient services during one year were reported by 4.6 % of @entity1 and 3.3 % of @entity1 . The general population's probability of a visit was significantly lower among @entity1 compared to @entity1 in ages 30-49 years (odds ratio [OR] 0.58, confidence interval [CI] 0.39-0.84, p-value [p]   =   0.004), whereas @entity1 used services slightly more than @entity1 in ages 50 years and over (OR 1.36, CI 1.00-1.83, p   =   0.047). Among those with @entity308 13.5 % of @entity1 and 10.5 % of @entity1 visited @entity146 outpatient services in a year. We found no statistically significant gender differences in the use of services in this subgroup. Other factors associated with services use in @entity1 with @entity308 were higher education, more severe @entity308 , and GP visits the last year, whereas in @entity1 only a more severe @entity308 was associated with @entity146 outpatient visits. Overall, the use of services decreased with higher age. CONCLUSIONS: Most @entity1 with self-reported @entity308 did not visit specialist outpatient clinics. This applies in particular to @entity1 aged 30-49 years, older individuals, and individuals with lower education. Gender differences in the use of services in the general population were dependent on age, whereas in the subgroup with @entity308 gender differences were not confirmed.
