Health Help-Seeking Behavior: The Scavengers’ Perspective

Beenish Malik, Novel Lyndon, Yew Wong Chin, Basharat Hussain and Sehrish Malik
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Beenish Malik: Department of Sociology, School of Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Management and Technology, C-II Block Johar Town, Lahore 54770, Pakistan
Novel Lyndon: Department of Anthropology and Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Malaysia
Yew Wong Chin: Department of Anthropology and Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Malaysia
Basharat Hussain: Department of Sociology, School of Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Management and Technology, C-II Block Johar Town, Lahore 54770, Pakistan
Sehrish Malik: Azman Hashim International Business School, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai 81310, Malaysia

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 11, 1-15

Abstract: Scavengers are prone to various health problems, hence seeking healthcare is inevitable. Despite the importance of the help-seeking behavior of scavengers, it has not been addressed explicitly in the existing literature. Addressing this gap, this study intends to explore the help-seeking behavior of scavengers and to identify the factors that influence healthcare utilization among them. This qualitative study conducted thirty-one in-depth interviews through a semi-structured interview guide and analyzed them using thematic analysis. Andersen’s Behavioral Model of Health Service Use was employed to explore the findings. The findings showed that the scavengers utilized multiple healthcare options depending on the severity and reoccurrence of the illness. The process of help-seeking and health services utilization was largely influenced by the cost of the health service, long distance to the health facility, traveling cost and waiting time. The study highlights the need for scavengers’ enrolment in micro health insurance schemes. The initiative would facilitate scavengers’ access to medical care. Health awareness campaigns and the provision of free mobile medical services, especially at the landfill sites, would also improve curative treatment among scavengers.

Keywords: help-seeking behavior; Afghan refugee; scavenger; health care utilization; qualitative research (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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