Assessing unmet health-care needs of the elderly in west of Iran: A case study
International Journal of Human Rights in Healthcare
ISSN: 2056-4902
Article publication date: 15 June 2021
Issue publication date: 23 November 2021
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate the status of perceived need, seeking behavior and utilization of health services in the elderly population of Sanandaj (west of Iran).
Design/methodology/approach
This is a cross-sectional study conducted on 800 elderly people in Sanandaj. Subjects were selected using multistage sampling and data were collected using self-report questionnaires. A multivariate logistic model with odds ratios (ORs) was used to determine the relationship of independent variables with seeking perceived need. Also, the concentration index was used to measure the inequality in using health services.
Findings
The perceived need for outpatient (during the last 30 days) and inpatient health-care services (during the past 12 months) was 69.7% and 29.7%, respectively. Among them, the unmet need for outpatient and inpatient health-care services was 46.6% and 17%, respectively. Having health insurance (adjusted OR 12.08; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.04–140.11), middle economic status (adjusted OR 5.18; 95% CI 1.30–20.51) and being in an age group of 65–70 years (adjusted OR 7.60; CI 1.42–40.61) increased the chance of seeking inpatient care. Also, being in an age group of 60–65 years (adjusted OR 0.41; 95% CI 0.18–0.95) reduced the chance of seeking outpatient care. There was also a pro-rich inequality in using outpatient health services.
Originality/value
The elderly population suffers from unmet health-care needs, especially in outpatient services. The most important reason for not seeking outpatient and inpatient services was financial barriers and self-medication, respectively. So, designing targeted policies and interventions to address barriers in the conversion of need to demand in the elderly population is essential.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the urban and rural comprehensive health center in Sanandaj county for contributing to data collection.Funding: This study was conducted with the financial support of the Deputy of Research and Technology of Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences (contract number: 1397.123).Ethics approval and consent to participate: The proposal for this study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences with file No. IR.MUK. REC.1397/123.Competing interests: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Citation
Piroozi, B., Abdullah, F.Z., Mohamadi-Bolbanabad, A., Safari, H., Amerzadeh, M., Rezaei, S., Moradi, G., Ansari, M., Afkhamzadeh, A. and Gholami, J. (2021), "Assessing unmet health-care needs of the elderly in west of Iran: A case study", International Journal of Human Rights in Healthcare, Vol. 14 No. 5, pp. 452-464. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJHRH-09-2020-0083
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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