Perception of health care services utilization among foreign labourers in Malaysia / Maryam Sohrabi

Maryam , Sohrabi (2022) Perception of health care services utilization among foreign labourers in Malaysia / Maryam Sohrabi. PhD thesis, Universiti Malaya.

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Abstract

Introduction: Population diversity can create different health profiles, creating new challenges for national health systems. Even in countries where access to health care is widely and freely available, immigrants are pretty often unable to take advantage of such services, for some reasons including differences in lifestyle or culture, language barriers, financial barriers, or lack of awareness. The lack of access to or low uptake of health care services among this group of people can negatively impact overall public health outcomes. Objectives: This study aims to investigate the associations between socio-demographic factors and barriers in getting healthcare services. It examines the influence of socio-demographic characteristics on the extent of exposure to barriers (personal, structural, and financial) in getting healthcare services. It further investigates the impact of barriers (personal, structural, and financial) on the tendency of obtaining medical treatment for different levels of illness (mild and severe) among unskilled foreign labourer in Malaysia. Methodology: This study had been based on the primary data gathered through the usage of a structured questionnaire. Data were collected through quota sampling and had involved respondents who are legal foreign workers in Klang Valley, Malaysia. These respondents were approached by enumerator at their residential areas, embassies, and workplaces. Analysis: All of the data derived from the survey were analysed by using SPSS Statistics version 20. The demographic profiles and variables representing barriers were examined using descriptive analysis and cross tabulation. To find answer for the first research question, cross tabulation and chi-square independence test was used to examine associations between socio-demographic factors and barriers in getting healthcare services. For the second research question, answer was obtained using non-parametric tests, namely Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests. The two tests were used to determine the influence of socio-demographic characteristics on the extent of exposure to barriers (personal, structural, and financial) in getting healthcare services. Finally, answer for the third research question was determined based on the results of chi-square independence test and logistic regression analysis. These statistical techniques were used to examine the impact of barriers on the tendency of getting medical treatment for different levels of sickness. Finding: Results of the study suggest that association exists between certain types of socio-demographic factors and personal, structural, and financial barriers in getting healthcare services. Similarly, the results have shown that certain socio-demographic factors influence the extent of exposure to personal, structural, and financial barriers in getting healthcare services. Finally, the findings of this study indicate that the impact of barriers (personal, structural, and financial) on the tendency of obtaining medical treatment were not the same for different levels of sickness.

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