IS PRIMARY-CARE PHYSICIAN SUPPLY CORRELATED WITH HEALTH OUTCOMES

Assessment of the relation between life indicators and health outcomes is a complex problem. The authors' analysis uses descriptive canonica l correlation, and their solution suggests that socioeconomic factors play a major role in health outcomes. The supply of primary care physi cians has a lesser but still important role: canonical correlation sug gests no apparent role in enhancing health outcomes among the elderly but a larger role in improving health among the young. The authors' an alysis does support the notion that specialist physician supply has no correlation with a wide range of health outcomes.