Egunjobi L
Soc Sci Med. 1983;17(9):585-9. doi: 10.1016/0277-9536(83)90301-5.
A total number of 859 patients were interviewed in the four hospitals that served Oyo Health Zone, Nigeria in 1979 on why they chose particular hospitals for treatment. The following factors in descending order of magnitude were identified as influencing their choice: nearness, quality of service, relative living in hospital town, finance, ease of transport, religion and connections with hospital staff. Although nearness was the leading factor, it accounted for only 31.8% of the total responses. In effect, about 70% of patients' behaviour are explained by other factors. This study points to the inappropriateness of the emphasis usually placed on linear distance as determining attractiveness of health service supply centres. In reality, a maze of interactions among spatial and non-spatial variables is at work in the choice of hospitals. Policy decisions should take cognizance of this if satisfactory health service to a majority of patients is to be achieved.
1979年，在尼日利亚奥约健康区的四家医院对859名患者进行了访谈，询问他们选择特定医院进行治疗的原因。确定了以下按影响程度降序排列的因素影响他们的选择：距离近、服务质量、在医院所在城镇的亲属关系、经济状况、交通便利程度、宗教信仰以及与医院工作人员的关系。虽然距离近是首要因素，但它仅占总回复的31.8%。实际上，约70%的患者行为是由其他因素解释的。这项研究指出，通常将重点放在线性距离上以确定卫生服务供应中心的吸引力是不合适的。实际上，在医院选择过程中，空间和非空间变量之间存在着错综复杂的相互作用。如果要为大多数患者提供令人满意的卫生服务，政策决策就应该认识到这一点。
