Department of Health Care Management, School of Medical Sciences and Technologies Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
Department of Nursing, School of Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Sanandaj, Iran.
Front Public Health. 2024 Jun 26;12:1367088. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1367088. eCollection 2024.
Health-seeking behavior (HSB) is a choice taken by an individual to maintain, achieve, or restore good health and prevent diseases. The purpose of this study is to examine the determinants of HSB among the Iraqi population.
This cross-sectional study in the Rusafa and Karkh districts of Baghdad investigated determinants of HSB from 2022 to 2023. With a sample size of 993 participants meeting inclusion criteria, data were collected through a self-reported questionnaire, utilizing four indicators to measure HSB. The study employed various statistical methods especially logistic regression models, facilitated by Stata 17 software.
Results highlights that married individuals consistently have higher odds of having HSB compared to their single counterparts, with an odds ratio (OR) of 2.09 (95% confidence interval: 1.41-3.10). This relationship remains robust even after controlling for other variables. Furthermore, individuals with higher social class exhibit stronger connections to HSB, although the OR is 1.69 (95% CI: 0.47-6.13), indicating a wide confidence interval. Regarding underlying diseases and their duration, the results indicate that chronic diseases are associated with a higher likelihood of HSB, with an OR of 2.05 (95% CI: 1.35-3.11). Additionally, a longer duration of diseases in terms of years is also linked to a stronger association with HSB, with an OR of 2.86 (95% CI: 1.32-6.23).
In conclusion, this work provides important insights into HSB. Married people are continuously more likely to engage in HSB than single people, highlighting the importance of customized interventions. Furthermore, persons from higher social classes have stronger ties to HSB, highlighting the importance of socioeconomic considerations. The link between HSB and chronic diseases, combined with longer disease durations, emphasizes the importance of early detection and thorough healthcare management. These findings give critical guidance for healthcare providers, marketers, and politicians developing effective initiatives to promote HSB.
健康寻求行为（HSB）是个体为保持、实现或恢复良好健康和预防疾病而采取的选择。本研究的目的是检验伊拉克人群中 HSB 的决定因素。
这项横断面研究在巴格达的 Rusafa 和 Karkh 区于 2022 年至 2023 年期间调查了 HSB 的决定因素。研究纳入了符合条件的 993 名参与者，通过自报问卷收集数据，使用四个指标衡量 HSB。研究采用了各种统计方法，特别是 Stata 17 软件支持的逻辑回归模型。
研究结果突出表明，与单身者相比，已婚者更有可能进行 HSB，优势比（OR）为 2.09（95%置信区间：1.41-3.10）。即使在控制了其他变量后，这种关系仍然很稳健。此外，社会阶层较高的个体与 HSB 的联系更为紧密，尽管 OR 为 1.69（95%CI：0.47-6.13），表明置信区间较宽。关于基础疾病及其持续时间，结果表明，慢性疾病与 HSB 的发生更相关，OR 为 2.05（95%CI：1.35-3.11）。此外，疾病持续时间（以年为单位）也与 HSB 有更强的关联，OR 为 2.86（95%CI：1.32-6.23）。
总之，这项工作为 HSB 提供了重要的见解。已婚者比单身者更有可能进行 HSB，这突出了定制干预措施的重要性。此外，来自较高社会阶层的个体与 HSB 的联系更为紧密，这突出了社会经济考虑的重要性。HSB 与慢性疾病之间的联系，加上疾病持续时间较长，强调了早期发现和全面医疗保健管理的重要性。这些发现为医疗保健提供者、营销人员和制定有效举措以促进 HSB 的政策制定者提供了重要的指导。
