ATTITUDES TO PRIORITIZATION IN SELECTED HEALTH-CARE ACTIVITIES

The aim of this study was to measure attitudes to health care prioriti zation in various Finnish population groups. Three study groups were e stablished: I) the general public (n=4260); 2) politicians (n=1427); a nd 3) medical and social work professionals (n=1055). The following ba ckground data were obtained: sex, year of birth, marital status, numbe r of children, education, profession, personal income, self-perceived health, and how subjects viewed their own future and whether they were satisfied with their lives. Information on activities involving prior itization of health service was elicited by presenting a list of 16 he alth care activities. Respondents evaluated these activities as 1) mor e important than average, 2) of average importance, or 3) less importa nt than average (indicated as numbers 1-3). The response rate was 59.3 %, and 57.2% (n=3858) of the original sample was accepted for analysis . The politicians and profes-sionals showed almost identical attitudes . All groups prioritized treatment of life-threatening diseases among children. The general public prioritized high-tech surgery more highly than professionals or politicians. Alternative medicine and cosmetic surgery were the two least important activities. All groups agreed abo ut prioritization of serious diseases among children, care of dying pa tients, prevention, surgery which helps people to perform their everyd ay tasks, and home care for the disabled elderly. Professionals and po liticians prioritized mental health more highly than the population. T he general public prioritized intensive care for premature babies with a low birth weight (less than 800 g). Professionals prioritized famil y planning more highly than politicians and the population. The result s resemble those obtained in Britain, indicating that attitudes toward s priorities in health are similar between Britain and Finland, and th at the respondents' professions determine attitudes more strongly than does cultural background.