Health Care Seeking Behaviours among Students of University of Sri Jayewardenepura

Abstract

Identifying common health care services used by the students and factors affecting health care seeking behaviours will be of benefit to improve the university health care system. This study focused on describing the health care seeking behaviours among students of University of Sri Jayewardenepura and identifying the factors affecting their health care seeking behaviours. This was a descriptive cross sectional study conducted among 384 student's undergraduates of University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka. Pre tested, self-administered questionnaire which included types of common health care seeking behaviors were used for data collection. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics including percentages. The majority of participants were female (61.5%). The sample prevalence of health conditions for which treatment was obtained included - Physical condition (66.2%), Psychological conditions (16.4%), Social & relational conditions (15.4%). Majority (over 63%) of students of each faculty had used western medicine for their health conditions while second largest proportion (55.5%) of students seek treatment by self-medication (over the counter medication). The main factors considered by the students when obtaining treatment were about availability of facilities (52.4%), quality of medicines (57.8%), availability of expert doctors (59.5%), protection of their privacy (58.1%), how much disease may affect to studies (53.2%). Only some students had considered about cost of treatment (28.2%), and availability of transport facilities (25.3%). Beliefs, religious or cultural factors had affected their health care seeking behaviours minimally (about 3.0%). Findings show that there are several kinds of health care seeking behaviours among university students. They are different from each other by treatment methods and places where treatment was obtained or how they are obtained help or treatment. Health care seeking behaviours of students are dependent on several factors related to their studies, economic background, cultural factors and their privacy.