Factors Affecting Utilization of Health Care Services in Monaragala District, UVA Province, Sri Lanka

Abstract

A cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted in Monaragala district, Uva province, Sri Lanka, to find out factors affecting utilization of health care services of patients with three common diseases, Bronchial asthma, Ischemic heart disease and Viral fever. Survey undertaken to analyze socio-economic characteristics of patients, patient’s perception and how it affect to their utilization pattern of health care services. The survey was conducted at complex, intermediate and basic level of public health care facilities in Monaragala district, participants were randomly selected. 306 patients who can access to the public health facility and 102 patients who cannot access to public health facility were interviewed. Regression model analysis and estimated from OLS method. Hypothesis testing for statistical significance as of result interpretation were used to describe the association between gender, age, income, medical expenditure spend by patient, perception, distance from home to hospital, household size, number of dependents in the family and religion as requirement of research objectives. Descriptive analysis and graphical presentation were applied to analyze the patient’s perception, health care expenditure, and proportion of income that spend for health care and the source of finance for health care expenditure. The results of the study show that patients age, health care expenditure, household monthly income, distance from home to hospital, perception, number of households, number of dependents in the family and religion has significant relation with utilization of health care facilities. According to the results utilization had positive relation with patients age, income, perception and if patient Buddhist and Sinhala. Utilization had negative relation with health care expenditure, distance, number of household and number of dependents in the family. Health care expenditure was highest for patients with I.H.D. who came to higher level of health care facility. All patients had higher perception about doctor’s attention and lower perception about services done by hospital staff other than doctor. Patients with higher income had higher perception. Borrow money and monthly income is the main sources of finance for health care expenditure. Some suggestions for policy makers to improve public health care services as follows, improving quality and workers attitude of public health care services and supporting finance for poor people.