A Cross-Sectional Survey of Factors Influencing Choice of Medical Care Among Ill Patients Suffering from Chronic Diseases in Ebonyi State, Nigeria

Abstract

The cross-sectional survey research design was used to the study the factors influencing choice of medical care among ill patients suffering from chronic diseases in Ebonyi State. The sample of the study comprised 325 in-patients with selected chronic diseases such as diabetics’ mellitus, cardiac and renal diseases who were undergoing treatment at the Federal Teaching Hospital (FETHA 1) Abakaliki. The instrument used for data collection was a 26-item questionnaire developed by the researchers. Data collected were analyzed using percentages in order to describe the data and chi-square (χ2) statistic in order to establish whether there was any significant association between the independent variables of gender and level education attained and the dependent variables, that is, the factors influencing choice of medical care among chronic diseases patients. The results of the study showed that the association between gender and factors influencing choice of medical care is not significant except for culture, employer and strong hope of cure (p < 0.05). Secondly, the association between level of education attained by patients and factors influencing choice of medical care is significant except for finance, access to hospital, relationship with medical personnel and adequacy of hospital facilities (p > 0.05). The need for chronic diseases clinics and hospitals for prompt treatment of chronic diseases patients is advocated.

The relationship between internal and external factors about the outpatients’ choice of hospital: A cross‐sectional study from Jiaxing City, China

“…These labels can be divided into two parts: “hard power” and “soft power.” We innovated to combine the two parts into a score that can show the comprehensive value of the outpatient's choice of hospital. However, most previous studies analyzed the influencing mechanisms about the choice of the hospital just for some provider characteristics they believed were important, 26 , 27 , 28 and the relationship and classification of provider characteristics were not all‐around taken into account.…”

“…Many studies demonstrated that choice or decision to engage or seek a particular medical channel is influenced by a variety of sociodemographic and psychological characteristics, such as age, sex, education, profession, 8,22,23 and the degree of self‐recognition of the disease, 24,25 which we regarded as patients’ internal factors. Moreover, some studies also believed the choice is also based on patients’ external factors regarded as: studies have shown that nonprice and price factors play a significant role in determining the patients choice on services provision which make them be latent utility as an outcome; 4 other studies summarized provider characteristics are structure (the availability of providers, the accessibility of the providers, the type and size of the providers, the availability/experience/quality of the staff, the organization of healthcare, the cost of treatment), process (interpersonal factors, availability of information, continuity of treatment, waiting time, and the quality of treatment), and outcome (mortality or pressure sore rates) 15,26–28 …”

“…Moreover, some studies also believed the choice is also based on patients' external factors regarded as: studies have shown that nonprice and price factors play a significant role in determining the patients choice on services provision which make them be latent utility as an outcome; 4 other studies summarized provider characteristics are structure (the availability of providers, the accessibility of the providers, the type and size of the providers, the availability/ experience/quality of the staff, the organization of healthcare, the cost of treatment), process (interpersonal factors, availability of information, continuity of treatment, waiting time, and the quality of treatment), and outcome (mortality or pressure sore rates). 15,[26][27][28] Therefore, what is the mechanism influencing the choice of hospital among ill patients in China? How about the relationship between patients' internal and external factors in China?…”