Health seeking behavior is important for the utilization of existing services at primary health care level.This is critical for healthy life for low socioeconomic groups, those cannot afford the costly treatment.
Here is an idea. You know behaviors change. One of the most efficient ways to use health seeking behavior to improve usage of healthcare service is to study patterns and mode of patient choices. Then, our decision making and planning of health services can be guided by the outcomes that are observed in regard to utilization. There is a possibility to do this prospectively or retrospectively. The policy makers can judge which way is the best to choose, forward or backward-looking.
If your designing a study, I believe I would begin with a survey to assess the knowledge of what services are provided using the term "Primary Care." Often times people fail to understand what is inclusive in this level of care.
I am a believer in health seeking behavior--people will seek health one way or the other. Even in the poorest countries/areas, people spend a significant amount on health, be it drugs purchased from the small retail pharmacies or traditional healers. I would flip your question around and ask "what are the barriers of access to primary care services". And I mean barriers of access in the broader sense-- cultural norms, knowledge, physical distance, opportunity cost, cost of treatment, health care quality, trust in providers, etc. Things are different in different places. I don't think there is a panacea without doing a proper diagnosis of the issues at hand first.
Sir, I see your question as being important of a thorough scrutiny through a variety of angles in context of health care system utilization in India. I feel that first of all, we need to assess the present barriers in utilization of health care in the population in question. The nature of population in question like its socio-economic status, availability of primary health care facilities and also the trust of the population in the present health care system may have a huge role to play in utilization of facilities.
In my opinion health seeking behaviour may be important in utilization of a primary care facility or lack of it, depending on the available resources in a population. What is more important is misdirected health seeking behaviour. I have seen a lot of people rely on local pharmacists or quacks for health care (both in rural and urban areas), sometimes ending up spending greater money than they would have spent in a primary health centre. I feel trust in health care system and perceived costs may have a greater role to play in utilization.
Behaviour change communication can be used to counsel people regarding utilization of health services.Quality of health care at government health centers should be improved so that people can turn towards government health services.Help of ASHA,Anganwacdi workers,social workers can be taken
Health seeking behavior is an outcome of health education. If people are helped to know that they can remain healthy by following healthy practices and if the level of awareness reaches to that of a belief, then they would own health and engage in practices that keep them healthy and in cases of illness will seek for early remedy from health providers in health institutions. Whatever of development people may be they seek and give priority to health. The critical issue is that most people think that health is given by GOD or any supernatural force. The struggle is to make people know that they are responsible for their health and can own it. Different modalities of health education have been put in place to bring this crucial behavioral change in health. It is not easy. I think it is difficult to boost health seeking behavior if the supply side is weak-- in delivering preventive and curative services. The problem becomes complex due to poverty. However, by engaging people in economic, social and cultural activities as we are doing in Ethiopia and ensuring cross sectoral development, then the supply and demand sides can grow simultaneously and would have a positive relationship. Of course the commercialization of health service delivery is a major obstacle. Health has to be addressed as a basic and primary human right.
I agree with Bradley. We need to know the patterns of health seeking behaviours (this is a study to be done), the access to health services and the barriers to reach them (cultural, economical, geographic), what have been done from the perspective of the institution (health providers, private and public sector), what results did they reach (achievements and shortcomings).The studies should be in the communities but a component can be done among those visiting health clinics and hospitals). What characteristics differentiate (if any) those who seek health care in formal institutional clinics and those who stay home (receiving traditional advice from relative or visiting a traditional healer nearby). All this information can be an excellent input to an IEC plan (communication, education and information).
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