Descriptions of self-treatment for the middle-aged and elderly in Shanxi, China

<div><p>Objectives</p><p>Self-treatment is a widespread practice among patients with common symptoms and ailments; it is necessary to explore multiple aspects of it. Notably, there is little research into self-treatment among middle-aged and elderly people, who are more likely to fall ill. Our goals are to provide a comprehensive description of self-treatment and explore associated factors with insurance utilization and expenditures among the middle-aged and elderly populations in China.</p><p>Methods</p><p>A survey was conducted in July 2016 in Shanxi, China. A stratified sampling scheme was applied to achieve representativeness. A total of 972 subjects were surveyed. Descriptive statistics, t- and Chi-squared tests, multivariate logistic regression, and multivariate linear regression were utilized.</p><p>Results</p><p>In our study, 772 (79.4%) of the surveyed subjects self-treated during the previous twelve months. Among them, 253 (32.8%) used health insurance. Subjects’ characteristics were associated with insurance utilization and expenditures for self-treatment. Total cost was positively associated with insurance utilization. The subjects with a junior high education (<i>p</i>-value < 0.001, aOR = 0.049) and senior high education (<i>p</i>-value = 0.020, aOR = 0.146) had a lower probability of using insurance. For both total costs and out-of-pocket costs, subjects who were 51 to 60 years old had lower costs. The subjects who were seriously sick and had a primary school education, as well as enterprise occupations, had higher costs. Self-treatment times were also positively associated with costs. Finally, it was found that subjects who didn’t use insurance had lower total costs.</p><p>Conclusions</p><p>The prevalence of self-treatment was high (79.4%). Some characteristics were associated with insurance utilization and expenditures in self-treatment. Our results may be helpful for policy interventions, which are needed to further improve the effectiveness of health insurance in China.</p></div

Distributions of self-treatment.

<p>Note: (a) self-treatment reasons. (b) self-treatment approaches. (c) self-treated diseases. (d): The reasons for not using insurance in self-treatment.</p

Additional file 1: of Association between lifestyle factors and suboptimal health status among Chinese college freshmen: a cross-sectional study

English copy of the questionnaire. (DOCX 24 kb

Multivariate linear regression of expenditure (in RMB).

<p>Multivariate linear regression of expenditure (in RMB).</p

Survey locations map.

<p>Note: a. Map of China. The red area is Shanxi Province; b. Map of Shanxi Province. Taiyuan, Shuozhou, Jincheng, Jinzhong, Datong, Linfen, Lvliang, Yuncheng, and Xinzhou are presented. R V3.3.3 software, “maptools” and “ggplot2” packages were used to create this map. The relevant geographic data was downloaded from National Geomatics Center of China <a href="http://ngcc.cn/article//sjcg/mndxt/" target="_blank">http://ngcc.cn/article//sjcg/mndxt/</a> freely.</p

Logistic regression model for characteristics and insurance utilization (n = 772).

<p>Logistic regression model for characteristics and insurance utilization (n = 772).</p