Incluye bibliografía

Foreword -- Preface -- 1. Introduction -- 2. Principles of health care demand -- 3. Health care utilization patterns -- 4. Comparative analysis of demand determinants in Santo Domingo and San Salvador -- 5. Conclusion -- Bibliography -- Appendix A -- Appendix B: Methods and results from the econometric analysis od demand -- List of tables -- List of figures.

Historically, less developed countries have relied heavily on their governments for the provision and financing of health care services. A common explanation for this is the widely-shared principle that health care is a right of every human being and that, in order to ensure that this right is exercised by all, health care services should be provided free of charge. The provision of free health care, it is commonly argued, can best be ensured through government-run health services. Free health care and government involvement in the financing and delivery of health services thus appear to respond to a fundamental concern for equity. The purpose of this paper is four-fold: (a) it defines basic concepts pertaining to the demand for health care; (b) it illustrates the political relevance of knowledge about demand; (c) it compares patterns and determinants of demand between Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and San Salvador, El Salvador; and (d) it discusses the policy implications of the findings and provides recommendations for government health officials. The paper focuses on the effects of policy changes on utilization of alternative sources of care by different socioeconomic groups.