Using a community based survey of healthcare seeking behavior to estimate the actual magnitude of influenza among adults in Beijing during 2013-2014 season

Abstract Background Appropriate healthcare-seeking behavior and access to the health care facility is key to improving health service utilization. Although the accessibility of comprehensive childhood disease intervention services in Ethiopia has been modified at the community level, the use of such health care services has remained limited. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the healthcare-seeking behavior of common childhood illness and its determinants. Methods A community-based cross-sectional study design was used. A multi-stage sampling method was used to recruit eight hundred and thirty-four study participants. A pre-tested and standardized questionnaire was used to collect data. The collected data were visually checked for incompleteness and entered into the statistical software Epi-info version 7 and exported to SPSS version 20 software for descriptive and bi-variable analysis. To identify variables associated with the healthcare-seeking behavior. Logistic regression analysis was performed. Adjusted odds ratios with a 95% confidence interval were used to see the strength of association, and variables with P-values of < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results The proportion of health care seeking behavior of care-givers for childhood illness was 69.5% (95% CI, 66.4, 72.4%). The education level of caregiver (AOR: 1.61, 95% CI: 1.01–2.60), knowledge of childhood illness (AOR: 2.02, 95% CI: 1.46–2.79), cough (AOR: 1.94, 95% CI: 1.39–2.71) and diarrhea (AOR: 2.09, 95% CI: 1.46–2.99) as main symptoms of illness and perceived severity of illness (AOR:3.12, 95% CI: 2.22–4.40) were significantly associated with healthcare-seeking behaviors of caregivers. Conclusion Low healthcare-seeking behavior was observed for childhood illnesses. Educational level, knowledge of childhood illness, cough, and diarrhea as primary symptoms of illness, and perceived severity of caregiver illness were significant associated with healthcare-seeking behavior. Therefore, interventions that strengthen the caregiver’s awareness of childhood illness and danger signs need to be considered. Besides, addressing the identified associated variables to healthcare-seeking behavior is critically important to curb the problem.

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Menopausal Symptoms and Perimenopausal Healthcare-Seeking Behavior in Women Aged 40–60 Years: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Survey in Shanghai, China

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17082640 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (8) ◽

pp. 2640 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Li Du ◽

Biao Xu ◽

Cheng Huang ◽

Liping Zhu ◽

Na He

Keyword(s):

Population Distribution ◽

Menopausal Symptoms ◽

Middle Aged ◽

Community Based ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Healthcare Seeking ◽

Total Prevalence ◽

Perimenopausal Women ◽

Seeking Behavior ◽

Healthcare Seeking Behavior

The aim of the study was to specify prevalence and severity of menopausal symptoms among middle-aged women and to understand the factors associated with women’s perimenopausal healthcare-seeking behavior in Shanghai, China. A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out involving 3147 participants aged 40–60 years. A combination of stratified sampling and quota sampling was used. Out of the total 16 districts in Shanghai, 7 were purposefully selected in consideration of covering both central and suburban areas, population distribution, and willingness to participate. Two communities were randomly selected in each of six districts. Four communities were randomly selected in the 7th district considering the relatively low coverage of central population in the sampling frame. Eligible women were recruited continuously according to the house number and invited to participate in the study until 200 participants were recruited in each community. A structured questionnaire was designed to collect information including sociodemographic data, menopausal symptoms, and experiences in seeking perimenopausal healthcare. The severity of menopausal symptoms was assessed with the modified Kupperman menopausal index (mKMI). The mean age of all the participants was 51 years. 33.13% of the participants were premenopausal, 14.52% were perimenopausal, and 52.35% were postmenopausal. The total prevalence of menopausal symptoms was 73.8%, while among the perimenopausal women, the symptoms were the most common (81.70%). The top three reported symptoms were fatigue (38.08%), hot flushes and sweating (33.65%), and joint ache (28.81%). Perimenopausal and postmenopausal participants had a higher score of the mKMI than premenopausal women (p < 0.01). Of the women who had symptoms, 25.97% had sought healthcare. A logistic regression model revealed that employment, menstruation status, and the mKMI were significantly associated with healthcare-seeking behaviors (p < 0.01). We concluded that prevalence of menopausal symptoms was relatively high among middle-aged women, with perimenopausal women showing the highest level. However, only a small percentage of the participants sought healthcare. Carrying out health education may be a measure to improve the healthcare-seeking behavior.

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Effect of Community-Based Health Insurance on Healthcare-Seeking Behavior for Childhood Illnesses Among Rural Mothers in Aneded District, East Gojjam Zone, Amhara Region, Northwest Ethiopia

Risk Management and Healthcare Policy ◽

10.2147/rmhp.s298658 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol Volume 14 ◽

pp. 1659-1668

Author(s):

Muluye Molla Simieneh ◽

Mezgebu Yitayal ◽

Abebaw Addis Gelagay

Keyword(s):

Health Insurance ◽

Northwest Ethiopia ◽

Amhara Region ◽

Community Based ◽

Healthcare Seeking ◽

Childhood Illnesses ◽

Community Based Health Insurance ◽

Seeking Behavior ◽

Healthcare Seeking Behavior ◽

Rural Mothers

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Healthcare-Seeking Behavior among Chinese Older Adults: Patterns and Predictive Factors

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18062969 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (6) ◽

pp. 2969

Author(s):

Yanbing Zeng ◽

Yuanyuan Wan ◽

Zhipeng Yuan ◽

Ya Fang

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Predictive Factors ◽

Medical Insurance ◽

Utilization Rate ◽

Heckman Selection Model ◽

Healthcare Seeking ◽

Inpatient Services ◽

Medical Institutions ◽

Seeking Behavior ◽

Healthcare Seeking Behavior

This study aimed to investigate the patterns and predictive factors of healthcare-seeking behavior among older Chinese adults. A sample of 10,914 participants aged ≥60 years from the 2011, 2013 and 2015 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) was included. The bivariate analyses and Heckman selection model was used to identify predictors of healthcare-seeking behavior. Results shows that the utilization rate of outpatient services increased from 21.61% in 2011 to 32.41% in 2015, and that of inpatient services increased from 12.44% to 17.68%. In 2015, 71.93% and 92.18% chose public medical institutions for outpatient and inpatient services, 57.63% and 17.00% chose primary medical institutions. The individuals who were female, were younger, lived in urban, central or western regions, had medical insurance, had poor self-rated health and exhibited activity of daily living (ADL) impairment were more inclined to outpatient and inpatient services. Transportation, medical expenses, the out-of-pocket ratio and the urgency of the disease were associated with provider selection. The universal medical insurance schemes improved health service utilization for the elderly population but had little impact on the choice of medical institutions. The older adults preferred public institutions to private institutions, preferred primary institutions for outpatient care, and higher-level hospitals for hospitalization.

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