- Fevzi Akinci: Graduate Program in Health Care Administration, King's College, 133 North River Street, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711, USA.
Using the concept of social marketing, this study examined the determinants of access to primary health care services in order to better understand the perceived access problems and unmet service needs of an entire city in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Consistent with previous research, lack of access to health insurance coverage represents an important financial barrier to access to health care services in this community. This study also highlights the role of perceived need in explaining the presence or absence of a physician consultation.While increased attention to access issues at the national level is important, there also needs to be more emphasis on collecting local data for local decision-making regarding access issues.