Scoping review of outpatient health services utilization among women

Abstract

Health services utilization, as one of the mechanisms of the health system, guarantees a healthy life and improves well-being for everyone. The aim of this study was to identify factors affecting the use of outpatient health services among women. This scoping review examined the studies related to outpatient health services utilization (OHSU) and its determinants among women. This review was conducted on English language studies published between 2010 and 2023 (All searches were conducted on 20 January 2023). Studies available in databases such as Web of Science, MEDLINE (PubMed), Scopus, Wiley library, Proquest, and Google Scholar were searched manually. Selected keywords and their equivalents were used to search for related articles in each database. A total of 18795 articles were identified, of which 37 met the inclusion criteria. Findings showed that age, marital status, level of education, employment status, income level, socioeconomic status, rape experience, health insurance, health status, ethnicity, living in rural areas, quality of services, area of residence, having a purpose in life and access to health services affect OHSU among women. The results of the present review showed that in order to achieve the universal goals of health services coverage and health service utilization, it is necessary for countries to provide insurance coverage to the maximum number of people. Also, policies should change in favor of the elderly, poor and low-income, low-educated, rural, ethnic minority, and chronically ill women and provide them with free preventive health services.