Abstract
Preference for professional vs. non-professional or informal healthcare for non-acute medical situations influences healthcare use and varies strongly across countries. Important individual and country-level drivers of these preferences may be human values (the fundamental values that individuals hold and guide their behavior) and country-level characteristics such as social tightness (societal pressure for “acceptable” behavior). The aim of this study was to examine the relation of these individual and country-level characteristics with healthcare preferences. We examined European Social Survey data from 23,312 individuals in 16 European countries, using a multi-level, random effect approach, including individual and country-level factors. Healthcare preferences were explained by both human values (i.e., Schwartz values) and societal tightness (i.e., tightness-looseness scores by Gelfand). Stronger conservation increased, whereas self-transcendence and openness to change decreased preference for professional healthcare. In socially tight countries, we found a higher preference for professional healthcare. Furthermore, we found interactions between social tightness and human values. These results suggest that professional healthcare preference is related to both people’s values and societal tightness. This improved understanding is useful for both predicting and channeling healthcare seeking behavior across and within nations.
Highlights
Despite healthcare demand growing worldwide [1], there is still a knowledge gap regarding factors that drive peoples’ preferences for professional medical help
(1) Using a large dataset with 23,312 individuals from 16 countries we extend the literature on healthcare choice behavior by looking at preferences for professional medical help in non-acute medical conditions; (2) we investigate the relation of human values with the preference for professional healthcare in a non-acute medical condition; (3) we assess whether societal tightness-looseness inhibits or strengthens these relations
Our study examined the relation of human values and societal tightness with the preference for professional medical in case of non-acute medical conditions as opposed to informal health care, controlling for socio-demographics and several factors such as trust
Summary
Despite healthcare demand growing worldwide [1], there is still a knowledge gap regarding factors that drive peoples’ preferences for professional medical help. Economic and social consequences of seeking medical help in the area of non-acute diseases can be large as the prevalence of conditions such as backpain, headache, sleeplessness and a sore throat is high [2–5]. This preference can be influenced by factors such as accessibility and personal financial costs of the medical treatment, other factors can play an important role. A person’s decision to visit a doctor may lead to larger health costs than awaiting natural recovery or seeking help from friends or family. Individuals, as well as medical professionals, healthcare organizations, insurance companies, health authorities and other stakeholders involved in the distribution of healthcare, will be in favor of selfhelp behavior for some conditions (e.g., to prevent antibiotics misuse), whereas for other conditions they may endorse professional help (e.g., vaccination or prevention programs)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call