Table 2.
Estimated Impacts Of Individual And Contextual Characteristics In Studies Reviewed
| (1) | (2) | (3) | (4) | (5) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Predisposing Factors | Number Of Studies | Number Of Estimates | Number Of Statistically Significant Estimates | Summary Of Findings | |
| Individual-level predisposing variables | |||||
| Demographics | Row 1. Sex | 14 | 58 | 14 | 12 estimates: women use more healthcare services than men 2 studies did not report results on sex |
| Row 2. Age | 14 | 58 | 22 | 9 estimates: individuals use less healthcare services as they become older 7 estimates: individuals use more healthcare services as they become older Other estimates: no details of variable reported24 |
|
| Row 3. Marital status | 10 | 43 | 19 | 1 estimate: married individuals use more healthcare services 18 estimates: married individuals use less healthcare services |
|
| Row 4. Household size | 2 | 6 | 2 | Household size is negatively correlated with formal medical services | |
| Genetics | Row 5. Genetics | 0 | 0 | 0 | No studies found |
| Social | Row 6. Education | 14 | 58 | 14 | 9 estimates: better-educated individuals use more formal services or preventive care or self-care 5 estimates: less-educated individuals use fewer formal healthcare services or prefer informal services |
| Row 7. Employment status | 5 | 16 | 5 | 2 estimates: employed individuals use more 3 estimates: employed individuals use less |
|
| Row 8. Occupation | 7 | 44 | 5 | 1 estimate: unskilled workers and farmers use less preventive care relative to white-collar and skilled workers 2 estimates: skilled workers use less healthcare services than farmers/fishermen 2 estimates: students use less healthcare services than others |
|
| Row 9. Employment sectors | 3 | 6 | 5 | 4 estimates: state-owned enterprise (SOE) employees use more healthcare services than private-sector employees 1 estimate: SOE employees use less healthcare services than private-sector employees |
|
| Row 10. Ethnicity | 3 | 8 | 1 | 1 estimate: ethnic minorities have less access to hospitals than to clinics Other estimates: not reported or insignificant |
|
| Beliefs | Row 11. Attitudes, values, and knowledge about health and health services | 0 | 0 | 0 | No studies found |
| Individual-level enabling variables | |||||
| Financing | Row 12. Income and wealth | 14 | 68 | 42 | 30 estimates: wealthier individuals use more healthcare services 12 estimates: low-income individuals use more healthcare services |
| Row 13. Insurance coverage | 14 | 68 | 39 | 29 estimates: insured individuals use more healthcare services 10 estimates: uninsured individuals use more healthcare services |
|
| Row 14. Social support | 0 | 0 | 0 | No studies found | |
| Organization | Row 15. Regular source of care: private doctor, community clinic, or emergency room | 0 | 0 | 0 | No studies found |
| Row 16. Transportation: travel time | 5 | 13 | 8 | 3 estimates: negative association between travel time and use of care 3 estimates: although statistically significant, odds ratios are very close to 1, which means a slightly positive impact on healthcare services use 1 estimate: patients will spend more travel time to obtain more advanced services (Chinese medical care compared to self-care) |
|
| Row 17. Transportation: travel cost | 2 | 6 | 0 | No studies found | |
| Row 18. Travel methods | 1 | 3 | 3 | Use of speedy travel method preferred over walking to more qualified medical care (such as a hospital) | |
| Row 19. Waiting time for care | 3 | 9 | 7 | 3 estimates: more waiting time relates to increased use of advanced medical care, but odds ratios are very close to 1, which means impact is very small 1 estimate: patients will spend more waiting time to obtain more Chinese medical care compared to self-care 3 estimates: less waiting time relates to increased use of medical care |
|
| Row 20. Geographic location: rural–urban strata | 8 | 28 | 15 | 9 estimates: urban residents use more healthcare services 1 estimate: more residents in developed areas prefer Western over Chinese medical care than rural residents 4 estimates: rural residents use more healthcare services 1 estimate: city and suburban residents are less likely to seek traditional Chinese services relative to self-care than rural residents |
|
| Row 21. Urbanization | 2 | 20 | 0 | No effect on healthcare demand | |
| Row 22. Industrialization | 1 | 14 | 14 | Negative effect of industrialization on healthcare demand | |
| Individual-level need variables | |||||
| Perceived | Row 23. Self-perceived health status | 9 | 47 | 33 | All estimates: people with more severe illness will use more healthcare services |
| Evaluated | Row 24. Professional judgment and objective measurements | 3 | 12 | 10 | All estimates: people with chronic diseases will use more healthcare services |
| Row 25. Change and variety of social components | 0 | 0 | 0 | No studies found | |
| Contextual enabling factors | |||||
| Health policy | Row 26. Public policies | 0 | 0 | 0 | No studies found |
| Financing | Row 27 Per capita community income and wealth | 1 | 2 | 2 | All estimates: higher per capita community income increases use of preventive care services |
| Row 28. Per capita expenditure for health services | 0 | 0 | 0 | No studies found | |
| Row 29. Health insurance coverage | 0 | 0 | 0 | No studies found | |
| Row 30. Service charge/healthcare price | 4 | 27 | 9 | Most estimates not significant; 3 estimates were significant, but odds ratios are very close to 1, which is slightly positive for use 6 estimates of price effects: price is negatively related to use |
|
| Organization | Row 31. Amount and distribution of health services facilities and personnel | 3 | 11 | 2 | All estimates: having more community facilities is positively related to preventive care use |
| Row 32. Structure and quality of services provided | 1 | 3 | 2 | All estimates: qualified doctors will encourage more use in hospitals than clinics | |
| Row 33. Distance to closest health facility | 1 | 2 | 0 | No effect on healthcare demand | |
| Row 34. Medicine availability | 2 | 6 | 3 | Availability of medicine induces people to choose more qualified medical care | |
| Row 35. Infrastructure | 1 | 3 | 2 | Provinces with denser infrastructure prefer more qualified medical care (such as hospitals) | |