ABSTRACT
The demographic structure has a significant influence on the use of healthcare services, as does the size of the population denominators. Very few studies have been published on methods for estimating the real population such as tourist resorts. The objectives of the study were: (a) To determine the municipal solid waste (MSW) ratio, per person per day, among populations of known size; (b) to estimate, by means of this ratio, the real population in an area where tourist numbers are very significant; and (c) to determine the impact on the utilization of hospital emergency healthcare services of the registered population, in comparison to the non-resident population, in two areas where tourist numbers are very significant.
