The evaluation of use of health services and related factors in Manisa city center

Aim: We aimed to determine the use of ambulatory care and related factors in Manisa City Center in 2009.Methods: A representative sample of Manisa city population (n=2.979) was chosen by probability proportion to size cluster sampling approach. The data were collected by face to face interviews. Dependent variables were reporting an illness within the last 2 weeks before the survey and ambulatory care within the last 2 weeks before the survey. Data were analyzed using SPSS for Windows 11.0. Chi square test, Kappa test, Oneway ANOVA (with Bonferroni test as post hoc test) and logistic regression analyses were used for data analysis.Results: Overall, 9.9% of the study population reported that they had an illness within the last 2 weeks before the survey. The percentage of using ambulatory care within the last 2 weeks before the survey was 9.4%. Of those reported an illness within the last 2 weeks, 94.1% have used ambulatory care. Use of ambulatory care was higher among women (OR, 1.44; 95% CI 1,11?1,86), among people who have health insurance (OR, 2.22; 95% CI 1,19?4,16) and among people who have an chronic illness (OR, 2.59; 95% CI 1,84?3,65). Of those people who used ambulatory services, 49.1% were used state hospitals, 29.2% were used family physician, 10.1% were used university hospitals, 0,9% were used private physician, 10,1% were.Conclusion: We found that absence of health insurance were negatively associated with use of health services. It is suggested that health insurance system coverage should be improved.Key words: Ambulatory care, health insurance, inequality, sex, chronic disease, waiting time