Health Services Utilization in China during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results from a Large-Scale Online Survey

Xia Wei, Haowen Yuan, Yan Sun, Jiawei Zhang, Qingbo Wang, Yaqun Fu, Quan Wang, Li Sun and Li Yang ()
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Xia Wei: School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
Haowen Yuan: School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
Yan Sun: School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
Jiawei Zhang: School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
Qingbo Wang: School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
Yaqun Fu: School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
Quan Wang: School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
Li Sun: Department of Health Services Research and Policy, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London WC1H 9SH, UK
Li Yang: School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 23, 1-13

Abstract: Timely access to essential health services is a concern as COVID-19 continues. This study aimed to investigate health services utilization during the first wave of the pandemic in China. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted using a self-administrated questionnaire in March 2020. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used for data analysis. A total of 4744 respondents were included, with 52.00% reporting affected services utilization. Clinical testing (68.14%) and drug purchase (49.61%) were the most affected types. Higher education level, being married, chronic disease, frequently visiting a provincial medical institution, spending more time on pandemic-related information, perception of high-risk of infection, perception of large health impact of the pandemic, and anxiety/depression were significant predictors for reporting affected services utilization. For the 431 chronic disease respondents, 62.18% reported interruption, especially for drug purchase (58.58%). Affected health services utilization was reported during the first wave of the pandemic in China, especially for those with higher education level, chronic diseases, and COVID-19 related concerns. Enhancing primary healthcare, use of telehealth, extended prescription, and public communication were countermeasures undertaken by China during the rapid rise period. As COVID-19 progresses, the changing disease characteristics, adapted health system, along with enhanced public awareness/knowledge should be considered for the evolution of health services utilization, and further investigation is needed.

Keywords: health services; access; health seeking behavior; COVID-19; chronic disease (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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