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The main factors affecting health care services utilization at two commune health centres in Hai Phong
The main factors affecting health care services utilization at two commune health centres
in Hai Phong
Nguyen Thi Thanh, Tran Thi Mai Oanh,
Khuong Anh Tuan, Nguyen Phuong Hanh
Place of publication: Health strategy and policy institute
Year of publication: 2002
In the state health care system, the commune health station is the first technical unit of health care for people in the community. However, at present, the proportion of people using commune health services is very low. This research was conducted in order to study the role of commune health stations in health care and the factors affecting people's use of health care services at the commune health stations.
Methods: Qualitative and quantitative methods were used for the research at two communes of Vinh Bao district, Hai Phong city. 200 households were surveyed to collect information about people's illnesses state and the use of health services.
Main findings: There is significant difference in the proportion of people using health services in the two researched communes: 45% and 15,8%, respectively. The main reason for poor people not using commune health services is economic difficulties. Poor people mostly buy medicinefor treatment themselves at the private pharmacies. For other people, the choice of using commune health services or not depends on different factors. First, the development of private health services (including part time work of state doctors) creates more choices for people. Second, the quality of health care at the commune health stations is a factor affecting people's use of their health services. Most people would like to get health care at the commune health stations, providing that the quality is increased. The third affecting factor is the expenses and the mode of payment. The research findings showed that expenses for health care at the commune health stations are higher than at private health services. State health services require immediate payments, while private services allow delayed payments. The convenience concerning distance is another factor affecting people's use of commune health services.
Conclusion: The research findings have discovered many factors affecting people's use of commune health services, in which the development of private health services, the quality of health care and economic factor are the main factors affecting the use of these services.
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