| Abstract |
Despite the health reforms instituted by the Philippine government to improve the delivery health care services, the stigma of poor health conditions continues to prevail in the country芒聙聶s health care delivery system. Specifically, issues on responsiveness, coordination among local government units, institutional capacity deficits, and inefficiencies in the procurement of medicines are among the pressing related concerns. This study aims to determine the levels of awareness, utilization of and satisfaction on the health care services available in the District Hospitals, Rural Health Units, and Barangay Health Stations of the various inter local health zones in Lanao del Norte. The study also sought to determine how important specific health care service attributes to respondents are, as well as investigate which factors influence the use of health care services.
In order to meet these goals, descriptive statistics and regression analysis was employed. The study found that respondents are more aware of immunization, laboratory, out-patient, and prenatal services; more proportion of respondents seek illness-related care in district hospitals while more proportion of respondents seek preventive care from Barangay Health Stations; respondents were satisfied with the quality of health care in district hospitals, RHUs, and BHSs; and provision of spiritual care is the most important service attribute while neatness of employees is the least important service attribute.
Nine hypotheses were presented to describe the relationship between predisposing characteristics and enabling resources and utilization of health care services in the ILHZs. Results of the study did not support the hypothesis that utilization of health care services increases as age increases (H1a). For district hospitals and RHUs, the relationship was insignificant while for BHSs, age increases, use of health care services decreases. There was evidence that women utilize health care services more than men (H1b) however this only hold for the BHS survey but not in the district hospitals and RHU surveys. Married individuals utilize health care services more than their unmarried counterparts (H1c) however this only applies to the BHS survey. In addition, the study found evidence supporting that lower educational attainment increases utilization of health care services (H1d) but only in the context of BHUs. The hypothesis that tribe members utilize health care services less than non 芒聙聯 tribe members (H1e) is not supported in the study. This relationship is insignificant in the district hospitals, RHUs and BHSs. There was no support to the hypothesis that higher income decrease health care services use (H2a). Employment decreases health care services use (H2b) but only when the context is RHUs and BHSs. Those with health insurance coverage in the BHS survey only use health care services more than those without health insurance coverage (H2c). The hypothesis that higher levels of awareness of available health care services increase utilization of these services (H2d) is supported but only in the context RHUs and BHSs.
Accordingly, recommendations provided centered on trainings on interpersonal communication, service excellence, and project proposal writing; information and education campaigns on preventive care services; and future research directions to address allocation and distribution of medicines to the local health care facilities in ILHZs with particular attention to BHSs. |
Mindanao State
University - Iligan Institute of Technology