Tropical Medicine and International Health
Volume 22, Issue 1, 2017, Pages 82-91

Health service utilisation of rural-to-urban migrants in Guangzhou, China: does employment status matter? (Article) (Open Access)

Song X. , Zou G. , Chen W. , Han S. , Zou X. , Ling L.*
  • a Faculty of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China, Sun Yat-sen Center for Migrant Health Policy, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
  • b Sun Yat-sen Center for Migrant Health Policy, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China, Institute for International Health and Development, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
  • c Faculty of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China, Sun Yat-sen Center for Migrant Health Policy, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
  • d Faculty of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China, Sun Yat-sen Center for Migrant Health Policy, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
  • e Faculty of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China, Sun Yat-sen Center for Migrant Health Policy, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
  • f Faculty of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China, Sun Yat-sen Center for Migrant Health Policy, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China

Abstract

Objective: To describe the self-reported health status and service utilisation of employed, retired and unemployed migrants in Guangzhou, a megacity in southern China. Methods: A cross-sectional study adapted from the National Health Service Survey was conducted between September and December in 2014. Based on the distribution of occupation of migrants, multistage sampling was used to recruit individuals. Logistic regression was applied to explore the factors influencing their service utilisation. Results: Of 2906 respondents, 76.6% were employed, 9.2% retired and 14.2% unemployed. Only 8.1% reported having an illness in the previous 2 weeks, and 6.5% reported having been hospitalised in the previous year. Employed migrants had the lowest recent physician consultation rate (3.4%) and the lowest annual hospitalisation rate (4.5%) (P < 0.05); unemployed migrants had the highest rates (6.8% and 14.5% respectively, P < 0.05). Retired migrants were more likely to return to their hometown for health care (8.6%) than employed (1.5%) and unemployed migrants (3.4%) (P < 0.05). After adjusting for age and gender, employment status remained significant in explaining the recent two-week treatment-seeking behaviour of migrants (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Disparity of service utilisation continues to be a problem for migrants due to the poor health awareness, lack of time and inconvenience of medical insurance reimbursement. Employed migrants make the least use of health services. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd

Author Keywords

China healthcare inequalities Health services

Index Keywords

urban population doctor patient relation unemployment rural area China regression analysis logistic regression analysis sampling human middle aged statistics and numerical data rural population reimbursement health service time factor health status Time Factors retirement national health service Cross-Sectional Studies Young Adult cross-sectional study migrant human tissue Humans Adolescent consultation male female megacity Guangdong health services Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice health care utilization help seeking behavior awareness adult gender migration major clinical study utilization patient attitude Patient Acceptance of Health Care Transients and Migrants Guangzhou employment attitude to health population migration
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85003550908&doi=10.1111%2ftmi.12801&partnerID=40&md5=26232d2a4551f3f6623faecd31f055ec
DOI: 10.1111/tmi.12801
ISSN: 13602276
Cited by: 6
Original Language: English