Determinants of the use of formal health care services in Butaleja Sub-Sounty, Butaleja district, Uganda.

Abstract

This study investigated the determinants of the use of formal health care services, specially the relationship between economic factors, socio-demographic characteristics and institutional factors and use of formal health care services. The study was quantitative. A multi-stage sampling method was used to select respondents while survey questionnaires were used to collect data. Data was analysed with the help of Pearson chi square statistic and a logistic regression model. The use of formal health care services in Butaleja sub county was very low at only 11.8 percent. The study revealed that there was a significant relationship between age, sex, educational background, income, religion, household size and occupation of respondents and the use of formal health care services. The results on education revealed that on average individuals who had obtained some education in Butaleja sub-county do not seek the rural health care services when compared with those with no educational attainment. The results further revealed that respondents were satisfied with the quality of health services and health staff and that the distance to nearest health centres was reasonably low. But however, respondents were not overall satisfied with the status of health facilities of area. The result suggests that health care decisions take place within the constraints imposed by the demand side barriers. These findings indicate the importance of demand-side barriers in accessing health care. The study, therefore, recommends interventions that will address the demand side barriers to access to formal health care services. These include interventions that raise income for the people, health education and community based mobile clinics. It is proposed that such measures should contribute towards improved use of health services but also, and more importantly, to address the key determinants of access to health and to change the health behaviours.