scholarly journals Marching toward the Millennium Development Goals: What about Health Systems, Health-Seeking Behaviours and Health Service Utilization in Pakistan?

2008 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. --- ◽  
Author(s):  
Babar Shaikh
Keyword(s):  
Health Service ◽  
Health Systems ◽  
Service Utilization ◽  
Millennium Development Goals ◽  
Health Service Utilization ◽  
Health Seeking ◽  
Development Goals

scholarly journals Health service utilization, perspectives, and health-seeking behavior for maternal and child health services in the Amazon of Peru, a mixed-methods study

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher M. Westgard ◽  
Ally Rogers ◽  
Giselle Bello ◽  
Natalia Rivadeneyra
Keyword(s):  
Child Health ◽  
Health Service ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Service Utilization ◽  
Maternal And Child Health ◽  
Health Service Utilization ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Health Seeking ◽  
Seeking Behavior ◽  
And Child Health

Abstract Background Various factors influence health service utilization at the community level. Research on the barriers to uptake of local health services is essential to reduce maternal and child mortality and morbidity. The Amazon region of Peru has some of the poorest health indicators in the country. The current study set out to better understand the health-seeking behavior and perspectives of mothers in Amazonian communities, exploring individual- and contextual-level barriers for seeking care at local health facilities for common maternal and child health issues. Methods The study employed a mixed-methods design by conducting 50 structured interviews with mothers of children under the age of 4. The study took place in 5 communities in Loreto, Peru. The quantitative data was analyzed with descriptive statistics to identify participants’ socio-demographic characteristics and reported utilization of health services. The qualitative data was analyzed in three rounds: inductive codebook development, application of the codebook, and thematic synthesis to contextualize the quantitative results and better understand the perspectives of the mothers regarding maternal and child health issues and the local health services. Results Overall, reported health service utilization among study participants was relatively high. However, the mothers identified several individual- and contextual-level factors that may affect their experiences and the health-seeking behaviors of other mothers in their communities: (i) embarrassment, fear, and trust, (ii) insufficient number and poor attitudes of health personnel, (iii) limited supply of basic medicines and materials in the health facility, and (iv) low demand for family planning services and limited awareness of adolescent-specific services. Conclusion Several findings in the current study reflect the reduced conditions of health services, while others display that many mothers maintain a positive outlook on the health services available to them and are proactive in the care of their child. The study provides valuable insight into the use of local health services and the common perspectives that are hindering further uptake at the community level in the Amazon of Peru, with important implications for health policy.

scholarly journals Problems faced by patients and health service utilization experiences of gastrointestinal patients during lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic

2022 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hamid Ali Kalwar ◽  
Lubna Kamani
Keyword(s):  
Health Service ◽  
Service Utilization ◽  
Public Transportation ◽  
Health Service Utilization ◽  
Gastrointestinal Diseases ◽  
Health Seeking ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Telemedicine Service ◽  
Co Morbidity ◽  
Significant Difference

Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic undermined the health service delivery and utilization of essential health care services globally. The current study therefore aimed to explore the health-seeking behaviors and challenges faced by patients for the management of gastrointestinal diseases. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the outpatient department of Gastroenterology, Liaquat National Hospital, Karachi from March 2020 to July 2020 during the COVID-19 lockdown phase to explore patient experiences. Data was collected using a survey questionnaire. All patients of either gender were included after informed consent. Statistical analysis of the data was conducted using SPSS 21.0. Results: A total of 184 patients were included who visited the hospital to seek medical services during the COVID-19 lockdown phase. The mean age of the population was 42.7 years (±16.13). Of these, n=94 (51.1%) were males All patients had gastrointestinal issues with different comorbid conditions. One forty-seven n=147 (79.9%) presented with active complaints whereas, n=37 (20.1%) patients visited the hospital for their follow-up checkup. Out of 184 patients, n=33 (17.9%) patients reported of having fear of visiting hospital due to COVID-19 outbreak. A statistically significant difference p<0.001 was noted between the history of comorbidities and patient delaying a visit to the healthcare due to the fear of COVID-19. Additionally, 61 (73.5%) patients with co-morbidity faced difficulty in finding public transport (p=0.01). Nevertheless, n=171 (93.0%) patients expressed satisfaction with the services provided by the hospital during the lockdown phase. Conclusion: Patients with gastrointestinal conditions were largely affected by lockdown largely due to fear of contacting COVID-19 disease and inaccessibility to the public transportation. Widely available telemedicine service might overcome these shortcomings and ensure continuity of quality care. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.38.3.4799 How to cite this:Kalwar HA, Kamani L. Problems faced by patients and health service utilization experiences of gastrointestinal patients during lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic. Pak J Med Sci. 2022;38(3):---------.  doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.38.3.4799 This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

scholarly journals Health Service Utilization in Hong Kong During the COVID-19 Pandemic – A Cross-sectional Public Survey

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin KC Hung ◽  
Joseph H. Walline ◽  
Emily Ying Yang Chan ◽  
Zhe Huang ◽  
Eugene Siu Kai Lo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Health Service ◽  
Service Utilization ◽  
Health Service Utilization ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Target Population ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Health Seeking ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Avoidable Deaths

Background: As health systems across the world respond to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), there is rising concern that patients without COVID-19 are not receiving timely emergency care, resulting in avoidable deaths. This study examined patterns of self-reported health service utilization, their socio-demographic determinants and association with avoidable deaths during the COVID-19 outbreak. Methods: A cross-sectional telephone survey was conducted between March 22 and April 1, 2020, during the peak rise in confirmed COVID-19 cases in Hong Kong. Cantonese-speaking Hong Kong residents over 18-years-old were recruited using a computerised random digital dialling (RDD) system. The RDD method used stratified random sampling to ensure a representative sample of the target population by age, gender, and residential district. A structured self-reported questionnaire was used. Results: Out of 1738 placed calls, 765 subjects responded to the questionnaire (44.0% response rate). The factors associated with avoiding medical consultation included being female (37.2% vs. 22.5%, P<.001), married (32.8% vs. 27%, P=.044), completing tertiary education (35.3% vs. 27.7% (secondary) vs. 14.8% (primary), P=.005), and those who reported a "large/very large" impact of COVID-19 on their mental health (36.1% vs 30.5% (neutral) vs. 19.7% (very small/small), P=.047) using logistic regression analysis. Conclusion: Married females with both higher educational attainment and concern about COVID-19 were associated with avoiding healthcare services. Timely public communication to encourage and promote early health seeking treatment even during extreme events such as pandemics are needed.

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