Authors :
Solomon Olusoji Abidemi; Solomon Oluremi Olayinka; Amu Eyitope Oluseyi
Volume/Issue :
Volume 8 - 2023, Issue 3 - March
Google Scholar :
https://bit.ly/3TmGbDi
Scribd :
https://bit.ly/3FraFhH
DOI :
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7735560
Abstract :
Healthcare seeking behaviour is defined
among others as the time difference between the onset of
an illness and getting in contact with a healthcare
professional. This study determined the health seeking
behaviour of uninsured, out of pocket paying patients
that attended a primary care clinic of a teaching
hospital, their health outcomes and some
sociodemographic characteristics associated. It is a
retrospective cross-sectional study carried out between
October and December 2022. It used secondary data of
16,030 patients seen at the General Outpatient Clinic of
Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital between 2009
and 2018. The patient records were reviewed, and data
about the period between symptoms onset and the time
of presentation in the clinic, the outcome clinical
consultation, and their socio-demographic
characteristics, were extracted and analysed. Total of
16,030 patients were seen during the period under
review, with 54.2% being females. 90.7%, 95.4% and
94.3% were of Yoruba origin, Christians, and urban
dwellers respectively. Among the surveyed 24% of the
surveyed presented within 24 hours of onset of illness
while 16.5% and 59.5% presented between 24 and 48
hours and above 48 hours after symptom(s) onset
respectively. The study observed significant association
between timeliness of presentation and health outcomes
with p value < 0.05. Severity of illness was observed to
determine the timeliness of presentation among
uninsured patient attending the primary care clinic.
Keywords :
Health-Seeking Behaviour, Uninsured, Health Outcomes, Timeliness Of Presentation, Primary Care Clinic.
Healthcare seeking behaviour is defined
among others as the time difference between the onset of
an illness and getting in contact with a healthcare
professional. This study determined the health seeking
behaviour of uninsured, out of pocket paying patients
that attended a primary care clinic of a teaching
hospital, their health outcomes and some
sociodemographic characteristics associated. It is a
retrospective cross-sectional study carried out between
October and December 2022. It used secondary data of
16,030 patients seen at the General Outpatient Clinic of
Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital between 2009
and 2018. The patient records were reviewed, and data
about the period between symptoms onset and the time
of presentation in the clinic, the outcome clinical
consultation, and their socio-demographic
characteristics, were extracted and analysed. Total of
16,030 patients were seen during the period under
review, with 54.2% being females. 90.7%, 95.4% and
94.3% were of Yoruba origin, Christians, and urban
dwellers respectively. Among the surveyed 24% of the
surveyed presented within 24 hours of onset of illness
while 16.5% and 59.5% presented between 24 and 48
hours and above 48 hours after symptom(s) onset
respectively. The study observed significant association
between timeliness of presentation and health outcomes
with p value < 0.05. Severity of illness was observed to
determine the timeliness of presentation among
uninsured patient attending the primary care clinic.
Keywords :
Health-Seeking Behaviour, Uninsured, Health Outcomes, Timeliness Of Presentation, Primary Care Clinic.
