Explaining the rationale of preventive care underuse is a difficult task considering its great benefits for health. Underuse is even more difficult to explain in countries like Italy where preventive care can be obtained for free. In this article we investigate the determinants of prevention...

The appropriate technique for econometric analysis of WTP (willingness to pay) data is an issue which has not been addressed in many studies of WTP for health and health care. This paper argues that, whether an open-ended question or a payment scale approach is adopted, the way in which WTP is...

A framework is outlined for testing empirically whether utilization of and access to public-sector GPs in Spain in 1993 was consistent with the twin criteria of horizontal and vertical equity, where these are defined with respect to need. Vertical (horizontal) inequities in access are assessed...