Patients' Willingness of First Visit in Primary Medical Institutions and Policy Implications: A National Cross-Sectional Survey in China

Frontiers in Public Health

article

Jin Li¹  Ning Zhao¹  Haiyan Zhang²  Hui Yang³  Jia Yang¹ 

[1] School of Public Health, Capital Medical University;Department of Health Education, Beijing Huairou Hospital of University of Chinese Academy of Sciences;Beijing Key Laboratory for Pediatric Diseases of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health

关键词: primary medical institutions;    first visit;    hierarchical medical system;    patient willingness;    China;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fpubh.2022.842950

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

Background The Chinese hierarchical treatment system expects patients to first visit primary medical institutions (PMIs), and patients' willingness determined their utilization of primary health care. The aim of this study was to explore the factors associated with patients' willingness to make their first visit to PMIs. Methods We employed multistage stratified sampling and convenience sampling to administer questionnaires to 1,507 patients in Beijing, Qinghai, and Fujian. Patients' willingness of first visit in PMIs was analyzed using Chi-square test and binary logistic regression. Results Of the 1,507 participants in the survey, 55.1% were willing to make their first visit in PMIs. Fewer patients in Beijing (17.6%) are willing to make their first visit in PMIs than those in Qinghai (71.9%) and Fujian provinces (72.0%). Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that higher recognition of the community first visit policy and higher satisfaction with the medical technology of PMIs are associated with patients' willingness of first visit in PMIs. Conclusions Due to differences in local economic conditions, medical resources, and policy formulation, there are differences among provinces in patients' willingness of first visit in PMIs. To increase patients' rate of visits in PMIs, it is important to improve service capacity and quality of PMIs and change residents' attitudes for PMIs.

【 授权许可】

CC BY