BACKGROUND Improving maternal health is one of the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) aimed at improving maternal healthcare and reducing maternal mortality. The utilization of maternal health services is influenced by several factors that need to be better understood. The objective of this study was to estimate the role of socio-economic position as a determinant of the utilization of m...

A theoretical framework for viewing health services utilization is presented, emphasizing the importance of the (1) characteristics of the health services delivery system, (2) changes in medical technology and social norms relating to the definition and treatment of illness, and (3) individual determinants of utilization. These three factors are specified within the context of their impact on t...

BACKGROUND Utilization of health services is the actual attendance by the members of the public at health care facilities to receive care. Utilization, serves as an important tool for oral health policy decision-making. The aim of the present study was to retrospectively gauge and assess the utilization pattern of the dental treatments which was given in hospital for last 10 years. MATERIALS ...

OBJECTIVE To measure and explain income-related inequalities in health and health care utilization in the period 2000 - 2009 in Chile, while assessing variations within the country and determinants of inequalities. METHODS Data from the National Socioeconomic Characterization Survey for 2000, 2003, and 2009 were used to measure inequality in health and health care utilization. Income-related ...

BACKGROUND Healthcare utilization has particular relevance as a public health and development issue. Unlike material and human capital, there is little empirical evidence on the utility of social resources in overcoming barriers to healthcare utilization in a developing country context. We sought to assess the relevance of social resources in overcoming barriers to healthcare utilization. STU...

OBJECTIVE To investigate the impact of national implementation of age restriction on fluoroquinolone prescription in children and adolescents. METHODS Data collected from the database of Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service in South Korea, a national health insurance system to analyze fluoroquinolone prescribing practice in children and adolescents younger than 18 years, between 200...

BACKGROUND The importance of creating and sustaining a strong culture of patient safety has been recognized as a critical component of safe medication use. This study aims to assess changes in attitudes toward patient safety culture and frequency of quality-related event (QRE) reporting after guided implementation of a continuous quality improvement (CQI) program in a panel of community pharmac...

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of the increasing prevalence of obesity on the development of health care utilization in Denmark in the period 1987-2005. PATIENTS AND METHODS From a random sample of adult Danes (19,142 women and 18,335 men) who participated in the Danish Health Interview Surveys in 1987, 1994, 2000, and 2005, self-reported data on type of health...