Behaviors associated with seeking medical care from surgical patients with different levels of disposable income

Abstract

The purpose of the study: to analyze behavioral patterns associated with seeking medical care for surgical patients with different levels of disposable income. Materials and methods. Disposable income was calculated as the sum of the income of each household member in monetary terms. This amount was calculated as the average monthly income in a family (household) per each of its members, regardless of their personal income. The household was considered as an economic category – a set of people running a joint household, within which market principles of the distribution of economic benefits do not apply. The first (main) group included respondents whose average monthly disposable income was no more than 30 thousand rubles (low level of disposable income). The second (control) group included respondents whose average monthly disposable income was more than 30 thousand rubles (a high level of disposable income). The numerical composition of the main group was 249 people, the control group 253 people. The groups were comparable in demographic characteristics. When assessing the reliability of the differences, the nonparametric criterion ꭕ2 was used. The reliability of the denial of the "null" hypothesis was accepted at the level of 95%. The strength of the dependence was estimated by the value of the Ка association coefficient. Results. The frequency of registration of an active behavior model in terms of seeking medical help is more common in the group of patients with a high level of disposable income, however, the most common form of behavior was delaying the moment of treatment and the frequency of using this approach did not depend on the level of disposable income. Uncertainty of behavior was more common among patients with low disposable income. Patients with a higher income level are more likely to comply with the doctor's recommendations, while patients with lower incomes fully comply with them less often. The use of self-medication is a widespread model of behavior among surgical patients, however, patients with a higher level of disposable income more often refuse to use it and less often use it in an obligate mode in comparison with patients whose disposable income is lower than the value used as a separation criterion for the purposes of this study.