Socioeconomic and sex differences in health care utilisation, counselling on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, and CVD risk factors control in the Polish population. The WOBASZ II Study

Background: Socioeconomic status (SES) is one of the causes of inequality in health care utilisation. There is no information whether differences in SES influence the frequency of counselling on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors or risk factors control. Aim: We sought to assess the relationship between SES and the frequency of medical consultations, hospitalisations, counselling on CVD risk factors, and successful CVD risk factors control. Methods: WOBASZ II was a cross-sectional study targeting a representative sample of the Polish population. Trained nurses interviewed participants using a standard questionnaire, collecting information on education, income, self-rated health, and health care utilisation. Blood samples were collected according to standardised methods. Results: A total of 2303 men and 2848 women were included in the analysis. Compared to those with low SES, men with medium or high SES were 68% and 46% more likely to use medical consultations, respectively. Women with medium and high SES used medical consultations 60% more often than those with low SES. Men with medium and high SES had blood pressure measured more often (by 31% and 43%, respectively), and more frequently received nutritional (by 45% and 59%, respectively) and physical activity counselling (by 92% and 122%, respectively). No differences in CVD risk factors control were found. Conclusions: High SES was associated with more frequent medical visits in both sexes. The associations of SES with counselling on CVD risk factors substantially differed between the sexes in favour of men with high SES. However, more complex consultations in high SES men were not followed by better CVD risk factors control