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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Health Serv.
Sec. Health Policy and Management
Volume 4 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/frhs.2024.1321020

Health Care Service Utilization among Elderly in Rural Setting of Gandaki Province, Nepal: A Mixed Method Study

Provisionally accepted
Kamal Poudel Kamal Poudel 1Dinesh K. Malla Dinesh K. Malla 2Kanchan Thapa Kanchan Thapa 3*
  • 1 Public Health Graduate, Shree Medical and Technical College, Purbanchal University, Nepal, Chitwan, Nepal
  • 2 Birendra Multiple Campus, Tribhuvan University, Bharatpur, Nepal
  • 3 Noble Shivapuri Research Institute, Kathmandu, Nepal

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    This paper aims to explore the utilization of healthcare services among the elderly population and uncover influences on the ability to access these services.A mixed-method community-based study was conducted in Bihadi Rural Municipality of Parbat, Nepal. The quantitative segment involved interviews with 355 individuals aged ≥60 years, while 18 respondents were enlisted for in-depth interviews. We used descriptive statistics, chi-square test, and logistic regression in quantitative analysis. Similarly, content and thematic analysis were performed in the qualitative component.This study reported that health service utilization among the respondents was 65.4%.Among the factors ethnicity (OR 3.728, 95% CI 1.062-15.887), not good health status (OR 2.943, 95% CI 1.15-8.046), bus as means of transportation (OR 8.397, 95% CI 1.587-55.091) had higher odds whereas government hospital (OR 0.046, 95% CI 0.009-0.193), not always available health staffs (OR 0.375, 95% CI 0.147-0.931), not sufficient medicine (OR 0.372, 95% CI 0.143-0.924), not available medicine (OR 0.014, 95% CI 0.002-0.068) had lower odds for health service utilization. Other factors identified from qualitative components include long waiting times, insufficient medicine, lack of trained health personnel, financial capacity, low utilization of health insurance, distance, and support from family members.Conclusions: Nonetheless, a portion of the elderly remained excluded from mainstream of healthcare services. A combination of social, healthcare-related, and individual factors influences the utilization of healthcare services. To ensure elderly-friendly services, prioritize geriatric care training, secure medication availability, and establish a dedicated health insurance program for them. In the current federal context, localizing evidence-based, innovative strategies to address the healthcare needs of the elderly is crucial.

    Keywords: Health service utilisation, Elderly, Mixed method analysis, Nepal, Health service accesibility

    Received: 29 Nov 2023; Accepted: 30 Aug 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Poudel, Malla and Thapa. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Kanchan Thapa, Noble Shivapuri Research Institute, Kathmandu, Nepal

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.