The Influence of Access Barriers on Outpatient Services Use among Low-income Households in Malaysia.
Aim: Many people, particularly those from low-income and marginalised communities, face barriers when accessing healthcare services. Therefore, this study examined the influence of household characteristics and perceived access barriers on the utilisation of outpatient services among low-income hou...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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ACHSM
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Asia Pacific Journal of Health Management |
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| Online Access: | https://journal.achsm.org.au/index.php/achsm/article/view/2737 |
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| _version_ | 1823857060081565696 |
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| author | Aziz Jamal Yunfei Li Ning Liu Mohd Zulkifli Abdullah |
| author_facet | Aziz Jamal Yunfei Li Ning Liu Mohd Zulkifli Abdullah |
| author_sort | Aziz Jamal |
| collection | DOAJ |
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Aim: Many people, particularly those from low-income and marginalised communities, face barriers when accessing healthcare services. Therefore, this study examined the influence of household characteristics and perceived access barriers on the utilisation of outpatient services among low-income households living in urban and rural areas.
Methods: This cross-sectional study employed 454 university students as proxies for low-income households. Data on household characteristics, perceived household medical needs and perceived access barriers were collected using online and printed questionnaire forms. The measure of perceived access barriers included items that represented various dimensions, including personal barriers, structural barriers, financial barriers, perceived triviality, accessibility, and time limitations.
Main findings: The distance between household dwellings and public healthcare facilities as well as perceived household medical needs significantly influenced the use of outpatient care for urban and rural households. However, the influence of employment status and household size was only significant among urban households. In terms of perceived access barriers, financial barriers were found to have a negative influence on the use of outpatient services among urban households, while time limitations were strongly associated with reduced outpatient use among rural households. Perceived triviality and accessibility also exhibited statistical significance in influencing the use of outpatient services among urban and rural households, with moderate to large effect sizes.
Conclusion: The findings of this study provided valuable insights into the use of outpatient services, accessibility and barriers encountered by low-income households living in urban and rural areas. Efforts to improve access are crucial in addressing health inequities and promoting a more just and equitable society.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5fb0dcaf2bcf419a9a2ccc711fa455bf |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1833-3818 2204-3136 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | ACHSM |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Asia Pacific Journal of Health Management |
| spelling | doaj-art-5fb0dcaf2bcf419a9a2ccc711fa455bf2025-02-12T00:21:19ZengACHSMAsia Pacific Journal of Health Management1833-38182204-31362025-02-0110.24083/apjhm.v20i1.2737The Influence of Access Barriers on Outpatient Services Use among Low-income Households in Malaysia.Aziz Jamal0Yunfei Li1Ning Liu2Mohd Zulkifli Abdullah3Health Administration Program, Faculty of Business & Management, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 42300 Selangor, MalaysiaEpidemiology and Prevention Department, Center for Clinical Sciences, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo JapanDepartment of Preventive Medicine & Community Health, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu JapanHealth Administration Program, Faculty of Business & Management, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 42300 Selangor, Malaysia Aim: Many people, particularly those from low-income and marginalised communities, face barriers when accessing healthcare services. Therefore, this study examined the influence of household characteristics and perceived access barriers on the utilisation of outpatient services among low-income households living in urban and rural areas. Methods: This cross-sectional study employed 454 university students as proxies for low-income households. Data on household characteristics, perceived household medical needs and perceived access barriers were collected using online and printed questionnaire forms. The measure of perceived access barriers included items that represented various dimensions, including personal barriers, structural barriers, financial barriers, perceived triviality, accessibility, and time limitations. Main findings: The distance between household dwellings and public healthcare facilities as well as perceived household medical needs significantly influenced the use of outpatient care for urban and rural households. However, the influence of employment status and household size was only significant among urban households. In terms of perceived access barriers, financial barriers were found to have a negative influence on the use of outpatient services among urban households, while time limitations were strongly associated with reduced outpatient use among rural households. Perceived triviality and accessibility also exhibited statistical significance in influencing the use of outpatient services among urban and rural households, with moderate to large effect sizes. Conclusion: The findings of this study provided valuable insights into the use of outpatient services, accessibility and barriers encountered by low-income households living in urban and rural areas. Efforts to improve access are crucial in addressing health inequities and promoting a more just and equitable society. https://journal.achsm.org.au/index.php/achsm/article/view/2737accessoutpatienturbanrurallow-incomebarriers |
| spellingShingle | Aziz Jamal Yunfei Li Ning Liu Mohd Zulkifli Abdullah The Influence of Access Barriers on Outpatient Services Use among Low-income Households in Malaysia. Asia Pacific Journal of Health Management access outpatient urban rural low-income barriers |
| title | The Influence of Access Barriers on Outpatient Services Use among Low-income Households in Malaysia. |
| title_full | The Influence of Access Barriers on Outpatient Services Use among Low-income Households in Malaysia. |
| title_fullStr | The Influence of Access Barriers on Outpatient Services Use among Low-income Households in Malaysia. |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Influence of Access Barriers on Outpatient Services Use among Low-income Households in Malaysia. |
| title_short | The Influence of Access Barriers on Outpatient Services Use among Low-income Households in Malaysia. |
| title_sort | influence of access barriers on outpatient services use among low income households in malaysia |
| topic | access outpatient urban rural low-income barriers |
| url | https://journal.achsm.org.au/index.php/achsm/article/view/2737 |
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