Abstract:
When we visit our physician, we usually have to wait for a more or less long duration until we are called into the doctors' office. This study reveals inequalities in the waiting time at the visit to the general practitioner by using multiplicative intensity regression analysis, which is frequently used for modeling time to event data. In general, people with higher education have a higher efficiency to reduce waiting time. Further, Austrians show a higher efficiency than foreigners. With regard to health-related factors, those with better health and less frequent consultations have also a higher efficiency to reduce waiting time. It also matters where people live. Those living in rural areas in general wait longer, and furthermore, the longer the journey from home to the doctors' practice takes, the longer is the waiting time.