Predictors of family physician use among older residents of Ontario and ananalysis of the Andersen-Newman Behavior Model

Using data on physician use by older adults (greater than or equal to 65 ye ars) from the 1990 Ontario Health Survey (OHS), the present research invest igated the predictors of family physician utilization across age and gender groups. Consistent with previous studies, number of health problems and se lf-rated health emerged as the most important predictors of family physicia n use. However, despite an effort to enhance the predictability of the Ande rsen-Newman Behavioral Model, the predictors explained only 29 per cent of the variance in family physician use when applied to the entire OHS older p opulation. Furthermore, the level of explained variance remained consistent ly low when analyses were performed across age and gender groups. Although the Andersen-Newman Behavioral Model has been the most widely used conceptu al framework in the field, the present study suggests that this model may n ot be appropriate to study family physician use among older Canadians.