Is Travel Time Associated with Health Service Utilization in Northwest China? Evidence from Shaanxi Province
Ruhai Bai,1 Jianmin Gao,2 Wanyue Dong3 1School of Public Affairs, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China; 2School of Public Policy and Administration, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, People’s Republic of China; 3School of Elderly Care Services and Managem...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Dove Medical Press
2022-05-01
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| Series: | International Journal of General Medicine |
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| Online Access: | https://www.dovepress.com/is-travel-time-associated-with-health-service-utilization-in-northwest-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-IJGM |
| _version_ | 1828346096359833600 |
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| author | Bai R Gao J Dong W |
| author_facet | Bai R Gao J Dong W |
| author_sort | Bai R |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Ruhai Bai,1 Jianmin Gao,2 Wanyue Dong3 1School of Public Affairs, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China; 2School of Public Policy and Administration, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, People’s Republic of China; 3School of Elderly Care Services and Management, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Wanyue Dong, School of Elderly Care Services and Management, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 138 Xianlin Road, Qixia District, Nanjing, 210023, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 25 858 11301, Email wanyuedong@njucm.edu.cnPurpose: Northwest China has a large area, low population density, and few health resources, which makes the utilization of health resources in this region difficult. The objective of this study was to assess utilization of health services and its association with travel time in Shaanxi Province.Patients and Methods: Data were obtained from the fifth Household Health Service Survey of Shaanxi Province conducted in 2013. Binary logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between travel time and health service utilization, and negative binomial regression was conducted to assess the relationship between travel time and the frequency of health service utilization.Results: A total of 42.6% of patients used health services, with a higher use rate among rural residents than among urban residents (47.0% and 27.4%, respectively). A total of 30.9% of patients traveled more than 15 min to the nearest medical facility (33.3% in rural areas and 22.6% in urban areas). A total of 12.4% of patients traveled more than 30 min to the nearest medical facility (15.1% in rural areas and 3.0% in urban areas). Urban residents living farthest from health care facilities (more than 30 min) had a 2.12-fold higher probability of health service utilization and expected to have a health service utilization rate 1.77 times greater than that of residents with a travel time of less than 5 min. Among the rural population, there was no significant correlation between travel time and health service utilization.Conclusion: Urban patients living farthest from hospitals were more likely to use health services and used health services more frequently. This suggests that more attention should be given to urban patients who live far away from health service providers in Shaanxi Province.Keywords: health equity, accessibility, travel time, health service utilization |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T00:21:27Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-eec9366dc7c44566be3a7820d1daf50d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1178-7074 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T00:21:27Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | Dove Medical Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of General Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-eec9366dc7c44566be3a7820d1daf50d2022-12-22T02:22:56ZengDove Medical PressInternational Journal of General Medicine1178-70742022-05-01Volume 154949495775283Is Travel Time Associated with Health Service Utilization in Northwest China? Evidence from Shaanxi ProvinceBai RGao JDong WRuhai Bai,1 Jianmin Gao,2 Wanyue Dong3 1School of Public Affairs, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China; 2School of Public Policy and Administration, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, People’s Republic of China; 3School of Elderly Care Services and Management, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Wanyue Dong, School of Elderly Care Services and Management, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 138 Xianlin Road, Qixia District, Nanjing, 210023, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 25 858 11301, Email wanyuedong@njucm.edu.cnPurpose: Northwest China has a large area, low population density, and few health resources, which makes the utilization of health resources in this region difficult. The objective of this study was to assess utilization of health services and its association with travel time in Shaanxi Province.Patients and Methods: Data were obtained from the fifth Household Health Service Survey of Shaanxi Province conducted in 2013. Binary logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between travel time and health service utilization, and negative binomial regression was conducted to assess the relationship between travel time and the frequency of health service utilization.Results: A total of 42.6% of patients used health services, with a higher use rate among rural residents than among urban residents (47.0% and 27.4%, respectively). A total of 30.9% of patients traveled more than 15 min to the nearest medical facility (33.3% in rural areas and 22.6% in urban areas). A total of 12.4% of patients traveled more than 30 min to the nearest medical facility (15.1% in rural areas and 3.0% in urban areas). Urban residents living farthest from health care facilities (more than 30 min) had a 2.12-fold higher probability of health service utilization and expected to have a health service utilization rate 1.77 times greater than that of residents with a travel time of less than 5 min. Among the rural population, there was no significant correlation between travel time and health service utilization.Conclusion: Urban patients living farthest from hospitals were more likely to use health services and used health services more frequently. This suggests that more attention should be given to urban patients who live far away from health service providers in Shaanxi Province.Keywords: health equity, accessibility, travel time, health service utilizationhttps://www.dovepress.com/is-travel-time-associated-with-health-service-utilization-in-northwest-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-IJGMhealth equityaccessibilitytravel timehealth service utilization |
| spellingShingle | Bai R Gao J Dong W Is Travel Time Associated with Health Service Utilization in Northwest China? Evidence from Shaanxi Province International Journal of General Medicine health equity accessibility travel time health service utilization |
| title | Is Travel Time Associated with Health Service Utilization in Northwest China? Evidence from Shaanxi Province |
| title_full | Is Travel Time Associated with Health Service Utilization in Northwest China? Evidence from Shaanxi Province |
| title_fullStr | Is Travel Time Associated with Health Service Utilization in Northwest China? Evidence from Shaanxi Province |
| title_full_unstemmed | Is Travel Time Associated with Health Service Utilization in Northwest China? Evidence from Shaanxi Province |
| title_short | Is Travel Time Associated with Health Service Utilization in Northwest China? Evidence from Shaanxi Province |
| title_sort | is travel time associated with health service utilization in northwest china evidence from shaanxi province |
| topic | health equity accessibility travel time health service utilization |
| url | https://www.dovepress.com/is-travel-time-associated-with-health-service-utilization-in-northwest-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-IJGM |
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