Elderly people’s preferences for healthcare facilities in Shanghai: gender features and influencing factor analysis
Abstract Background China has one of the fastest paces of the growing aging population, High-level policymakers have recently recognized the aging population presents significant challenges to the Chinese healthcare system. In this context, the healthcare-seeking behaviors of the elderly population...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-02-01
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| Series: | BMC Public Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-15279-6 |
| _version_ | 1797863357090365440 |
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| author | Shangguang Yang Luxue Liu Chunlan Wang Kevin Lo Danyang Wang |
| author_facet | Shangguang Yang Luxue Liu Chunlan Wang Kevin Lo Danyang Wang |
| author_sort | Shangguang Yang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background China has one of the fastest paces of the growing aging population, High-level policymakers have recently recognized the aging population presents significant challenges to the Chinese healthcare system. In this context, the healthcare-seeking behaviors of the elderly population have become an essential field of study. It is necessary to understand their access to health services and to improve their quality of life, as well as to help policymakers to formulate healthcare policy. The study empirically investigates the factors influencing the elderly population’s healthcare-seeking behaviors in Shanghai, China, especially in choosing the quality of healthcare facilities to visit. Methods We designed a cross-sectional study. The data of this study were derived from the “Shanghai elderly medical demand characteristics questionnaire” in the middle of November to early December 2017. A total of 625 individuals were included in the final sample. Logistic regression was adopted to investigate the differences in healthcare-seeking behaviors between elderly people when suffer from mild illness, severe illness and follow-up treatment. Next, the differences in gender were also discussed. Results Factors affecting the healthcare-seeking behaviors of the elderly differ in mild illness and severe illness situations. For mild illness, demographic factors (gender and age) and socioeconomic factors (income and employment) play an important role in elderly healthcare choices. Female and older elderlies are more likely to choose local, lower-quality facilities, whereas those with high income and private employment are more likely to choose higher-quality facilities. For severe illness, socioeconomic factors (income and employment) are important. Furthermore, individuals with basic medical insurance are more likely to choose lower-quality facilities. Conclusion This study has shown that the affordability of public health services should be addressed. Medical policy support may be an important way to reduce the gap in access to medical services. We should pay attention to the gender differences in the elderly’s choice of medical treatment behavior, consider the differences in the needs of male and female elderly. our findings are only for elderly Chinese participants in the greater Shanghai area. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T22:34:18Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-cbf661262925467586a963cc054bb74d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T22:34:18Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-cbf661262925467586a963cc054bb74d2023-03-22T12:35:53ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582023-02-0123111110.1186/s12889-023-15279-6Elderly people’s preferences for healthcare facilities in Shanghai: gender features and influencing factor analysisShangguang Yang0Luxue Liu1Chunlan Wang2Kevin Lo3Danyang Wang4Economic Development Institute, East China University of Science and TechnologyStudent Affairs Office, East China Normal UniversityPopulation Research Institute, East China Normal UniversityDepartment of Geography, Hong Kong Baptist UniversityEconomic Development Institute, East China University of Science and TechnologyAbstract Background China has one of the fastest paces of the growing aging population, High-level policymakers have recently recognized the aging population presents significant challenges to the Chinese healthcare system. In this context, the healthcare-seeking behaviors of the elderly population have become an essential field of study. It is necessary to understand their access to health services and to improve their quality of life, as well as to help policymakers to formulate healthcare policy. The study empirically investigates the factors influencing the elderly population’s healthcare-seeking behaviors in Shanghai, China, especially in choosing the quality of healthcare facilities to visit. Methods We designed a cross-sectional study. The data of this study were derived from the “Shanghai elderly medical demand characteristics questionnaire” in the middle of November to early December 2017. A total of 625 individuals were included in the final sample. Logistic regression was adopted to investigate the differences in healthcare-seeking behaviors between elderly people when suffer from mild illness, severe illness and follow-up treatment. Next, the differences in gender were also discussed. Results Factors affecting the healthcare-seeking behaviors of the elderly differ in mild illness and severe illness situations. For mild illness, demographic factors (gender and age) and socioeconomic factors (income and employment) play an important role in elderly healthcare choices. Female and older elderlies are more likely to choose local, lower-quality facilities, whereas those with high income and private employment are more likely to choose higher-quality facilities. For severe illness, socioeconomic factors (income and employment) are important. Furthermore, individuals with basic medical insurance are more likely to choose lower-quality facilities. Conclusion This study has shown that the affordability of public health services should be addressed. Medical policy support may be an important way to reduce the gap in access to medical services. We should pay attention to the gender differences in the elderly’s choice of medical treatment behavior, consider the differences in the needs of male and female elderly. our findings are only for elderly Chinese participants in the greater Shanghai area.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-15279-6Healthcare-seeking behaviorElderly populationInfluencing factorChina |
| spellingShingle | Shangguang Yang Luxue Liu Chunlan Wang Kevin Lo Danyang Wang Elderly people’s preferences for healthcare facilities in Shanghai: gender features and influencing factor analysis BMC Public Health Healthcare-seeking behavior Elderly population Influencing factor China |
| title | Elderly people’s preferences for healthcare facilities in Shanghai: gender features and influencing factor analysis |
| title_full | Elderly people’s preferences for healthcare facilities in Shanghai: gender features and influencing factor analysis |
| title_fullStr | Elderly people’s preferences for healthcare facilities in Shanghai: gender features and influencing factor analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Elderly people’s preferences for healthcare facilities in Shanghai: gender features and influencing factor analysis |
| title_short | Elderly people’s preferences for healthcare facilities in Shanghai: gender features and influencing factor analysis |
| title_sort | elderly people s preferences for healthcare facilities in shanghai gender features and influencing factor analysis |
| topic | Healthcare-seeking behavior Elderly population Influencing factor China |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-15279-6 |
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