Objective:
This paper aims to understand demands for health care service demand and associated factors among children under 7 years old in rural areas of Ningxia,and to provide the statistical support for changing the hygiene resources mode and public hygiene admistration.
Methods:
Data of 12 887 children selected from Rural Residents Family Health Survey in five counties of Ningxia (Haiyuan, Yanchi, Tongxin, Pengyang and Xiji) in 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2015 were collected. Demand for health care service and associated factors of children under 7 years old were analyzed through univariate analysis and multivariate Logistic regression in SPSS 23.0.
Results:
Demand for health care services among children under 7 years old in rural areas of Ningxia was relatively high. Univariate analysis showed that children with different distances from medical institutions, family size and family income status showed significantly different rates of two-week sickness visits(χ2=6.56,6.81,29.52,P<0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that children with older age, large family population, low level of family income and long-term parental employment outside the home may be the risk factors for children under 7 years of age to see a doctor(P<0.05).
Conclusion
Physical accessibility,family income and parental employment outside the home for a long period are the main factors affecting demand for health care services for children in this area,the government should continue to improve the conditions of primary health facilities, adjust macro health policies, and promote the good and rapid development of child health in this area.