Factors influencing health service utilization behavior among the elderly in Uttaradit Province
Keywords:
Social support, Health literacy, Older adults, Health service utilization behaviorAbstract
This research is survey research aimed to study the level of health service utilization behavior among the elderly and the factors influencing health service utilization behavior among older adults in Uttaradit Province. The sample consisted of 370 older individuals aged 60 years and above in Uttaradit Province. Data was collected between October and December 2022. Theresearch questionnaire covered personal characteristics, social support, health literacy, health care service provision, and health care service utilization behavior. The reliability of the questionnaire components was confirmed with Cronbach's alpha coefficients of 0.75, 0.89, 0.88, and 0.74, respectively. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation) and stepwise multiple linear regression.
The results showed that the level of health service utilization behavior among older adults in Uttaradit Province was moderate (Mean = 3.39, S.D. = 0.76). Factors influencing health service utilization behavior among the older adultsin Uttaradit Provinceat statistically significant level 0.05 including service staffs (β = 0.637, p-value < 0.001), services (β = 0.119, p-value < 0.001), facilities (β = 0.118, p-value < 0.001), access to health information and services (β = 0.090, p-value = 0.005) social support from family (β = 0.088, p-value = 0.001), predict 81.9 percent at the level of p-value < 0.05.
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