Awareness and preference in utilizing primary health-care services from rural health center as first point-of-care: A community-based cross-sectional study in South India

• Published in: Journal of Education and Health Promotion Vol. 9; no. 1; p. 85
• Main Authors: Sivanandan, Arulprakash, Kumar, S, Krishnamoorthy, Yuvaraj
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Mumbai Medknow Publications & Media Pvt. Ltd 01-01-2020; Wolters Kluwer - Medknow; Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
• Subjects: Community Relations; Cross-sectional studies; Developing countries; Economic Status; Family (Sociological Unit); first point-of-care; Health care; Health Conditions; Health facilities; Health services; Households; LDCs; Original; Patients; Preferences; Primary Health Care; primary healthcare; Public health; Referral; Rural areas; rural health; rural health services; Rural Population; Sample Size; Sampling; Sociodemographics; Statistical Analysis; Sustainable Development; Towns; Nigeria; India
• ISSN: 2277-9531; 2319-6440
• DOI: 10.4103/jehp.jehp_593_19

BACKGROUND: First point-of-care (FPC) at the primary health care (PHC) level is an important public health issue at the global level. Patients directly come to tertiary health centers without a referral. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: Hence, the current study was done to assess the proportion of individuals availing health-care services from rural health center (RHC) as FPC and reasons for not availing it. METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Puducherry, coastal South India, among 367 households with 1510 individuals. Sociodemographic details, recent FPC during the past 6 months, morbidity profile, and reasons for not seeking were collected from all the individuals. RESULTS: About 44.5% (672/1510) of individuals used any health facilities, of which 70.4% (473/672) used RHC as the FPC. About 33.2% of individuals had a respiratory illness, 22.3% had general signs and symptoms. About 24.6% (32/130) mentioned the reasons for not seeking care as lack of appropriate health facilities. CONCLUSION: More than one-fourth of the study population not utilized services at PHC level. Improving the health facilities may help to increase these services.