1999 Volume 65 Issue 3 Pages 136-145
The objective of this study is to identify the determinants of hospital utilization in developing countries, with modification of significant variables of the preceding studies. In order to ex amine variables which influence hospital utilization time (days from the recongnition of specific problem to consultation in the modern hospital), Andersen and Newman's health behavioral model, in which modified medical pluralism factors and medical recommendation factors are in corporated, was applied. A survey was conducted for 147 outpatients of a hospital in Kavre dis trict, adjacent to Katmandu, Nepal. The result of stepwise multiple regression analysis shows that hospital utilization time was significantly influenced by medical pluralism factors of not only the use of traditional therapy but also that of modern health care before hospital consultation. In addition, patients' sex, age, access time to hospital, and subjective judgment on severity of illness play important roles in the hospital utilization time. Although medical recommendation factors showing who recommended hospital consultation was not significantly related with hospital uti lization time, there is need for future research to grasp directly whether the patients concerned and medical staff at health care facilities recommended hospital consultation to patients.
