Analysis Of Health Service Utilization In Ghana

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Essential healthcare services remain inaccessible or unutilized by many people in need of care in Ghana. In a bid to extend the frontiers of current understanding of health service utilization, this study analyzed the 30-year (1987-2017) time trends in health service utilization in Ghana, as well as the factors associated with health service utilization in Ghana METHODS: A secondary analysis of the Ghana Living Standards Survey (rounds 1-7) data was conducted using proportions, linear and binary logistic regression techniques. RESULTS: The results showed a low fluctuating but increasing trend in health facility visits in Ghana over the period (1987 to 2016/17) under review, ranging from 35% in 1998/1999 to 50% in 2012/13. The regression results revealed that health service utilization in Ghana is significantly (p<0.05) predictable by a number of predisposing (age, sex), enabling (wealth status, health insurance) and need factors (severity of illness/injury) with varying effects. Severity of illness or injury had the strongest positive effect on both health facility visits (mild, OR=2.5, 95% CI=2.27-2.85; severe, OR=2.7, 95% CI=2.32-3.27) and patronage of public facilities (severe, OR=1.3, 95% CI=1.02- 1.67) for health services. CONCLUSIONS: Health service utilization in Ghana has generally been low over the period under review, with higher rates in public than private facilities. The factors associated with health service utilization in Ghana include; age, sex, wealth status, health insurance, and severity of illness.