Selection of private or public hospital care: examining the care-seeking behaviour of patients with private health insurance
Abstract Background This study aimed to examine the healthcare-seeking (hospital, primary and preventive care) and healthcare utilisation behaviour of patients with private health insurance (PHI) in Australia. It also aimed to examine the socioeconomic, demographic and lifestyle factors that influen...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2020-05-01
|
| Series: | BMC Health Services Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12913-020-05253-y |
| _version_ | 1811198563876601856 |
|---|---|
| author | Rezwanul Hasan Rana Khorshed Alam Jeff Gow |
| author_facet | Rezwanul Hasan Rana Khorshed Alam Jeff Gow |
| author_sort | Rezwanul Hasan Rana |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background This study aimed to examine the healthcare-seeking (hospital, primary and preventive care) and healthcare utilisation behaviour of patients with private health insurance (PHI) in Australia. It also aimed to examine the socioeconomic, demographic and lifestyle factors that influence the choice of hospital care in Australia. Method A logistic regression model with repeated measure t-test and Pearson’s Chi-square test were used to identify the factors that affect the choice of care. Data from waves 9 (2009) and 13 (2013) of the nationally-representative Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey were used in the analysis. Results Patients with PHI had a higher number of hospital nights’ stay despite having a lower number of hospital admissions than those without private cover. Significant disparities were identified in preventive and specialist care use between patients with cover and without cover. No significant variations were observed in healthcare utilisation for PHI patients before and after dropping PHI. One in four patients chose to use public hospitals despite holding PHI cover. Moreover, those insured and from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and those who were younger and without long-term health conditions showed a higher probability of selecting public rather than private care. Conclusions It is evident that PHI cover encourages people to use private care. However, a considerable number of PHI patients are using public care, even though eligible for private care may indicate consumer information asymmetry. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T01:32:42Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1494007bfeda408eaf9a114fb9836bdd |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1472-6963 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T01:32:42Z |
| publishDate | 2020-05-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Health Services Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-1494007bfeda408eaf9a114fb9836bdd2022-12-22T03:53:25ZengBMCBMC Health Services Research1472-69632020-05-0120111710.1186/s12913-020-05253-ySelection of private or public hospital care: examining the care-seeking behaviour of patients with private health insuranceRezwanul Hasan Rana0Khorshed Alam1Jeff Gow2School of Commerce, University of Southern QueenslandSchool of Commerce, Centre for Health Research, University of Southern QueenslandSchool of Commerce, University of Southern QueenslandAbstract Background This study aimed to examine the healthcare-seeking (hospital, primary and preventive care) and healthcare utilisation behaviour of patients with private health insurance (PHI) in Australia. It also aimed to examine the socioeconomic, demographic and lifestyle factors that influence the choice of hospital care in Australia. Method A logistic regression model with repeated measure t-test and Pearson’s Chi-square test were used to identify the factors that affect the choice of care. Data from waves 9 (2009) and 13 (2013) of the nationally-representative Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey were used in the analysis. Results Patients with PHI had a higher number of hospital nights’ stay despite having a lower number of hospital admissions than those without private cover. Significant disparities were identified in preventive and specialist care use between patients with cover and without cover. No significant variations were observed in healthcare utilisation for PHI patients before and after dropping PHI. One in four patients chose to use public hospitals despite holding PHI cover. Moreover, those insured and from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and those who were younger and without long-term health conditions showed a higher probability of selecting public rather than private care. Conclusions It is evident that PHI cover encourages people to use private care. However, a considerable number of PHI patients are using public care, even though eligible for private care may indicate consumer information asymmetry.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12913-020-05253-yAustraliaCare-seekingHealthcare useHospitalsHILDAPrivate health insurance |
| spellingShingle | Rezwanul Hasan Rana Khorshed Alam Jeff Gow Selection of private or public hospital care: examining the care-seeking behaviour of patients with private health insurance BMC Health Services Research Australia Care-seeking Healthcare use Hospitals HILDA Private health insurance |
| title | Selection of private or public hospital care: examining the care-seeking behaviour of patients with private health insurance |
| title_full | Selection of private or public hospital care: examining the care-seeking behaviour of patients with private health insurance |
| title_fullStr | Selection of private or public hospital care: examining the care-seeking behaviour of patients with private health insurance |
| title_full_unstemmed | Selection of private or public hospital care: examining the care-seeking behaviour of patients with private health insurance |
| title_short | Selection of private or public hospital care: examining the care-seeking behaviour of patients with private health insurance |
| title_sort | selection of private or public hospital care examining the care seeking behaviour of patients with private health insurance |
| topic | Australia Care-seeking Healthcare use Hospitals HILDA Private health insurance |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12913-020-05253-y |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT rezwanulhasanrana selectionofprivateorpublichospitalcareexaminingthecareseekingbehaviourofpatientswithprivatehealthinsurance AT khorshedalam selectionofprivateorpublichospitalcareexaminingthecareseekingbehaviourofpatientswithprivatehealthinsurance AT jeffgow selectionofprivateorpublichospitalcareexaminingthecareseekingbehaviourofpatientswithprivatehealthinsurance |