Factors Associated with Health-Seeking Behavior in Indonesia: Evidence from the Indonesian Family Life Survey 2014

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Health-seeking behavior is a critical determinant of health outcomes, particularly in countries like Indonesia. Given the increasing burden of noncommunicable diseases, understanding the factors that influence health-seeking behavior in this context is essential for developing more accessible and effective public health strategies. This study aimed to identify various factors associated with health-seeking behavior among patients with chronic diseases across Indonesia, especially in formal facilities. Materials and Methods: This study used a cross-sectional research design, utilizing Indonesian Family Life Survey (IFLS)-5 data. The inclusion criteria included respondents aged 20–74 years old with at least one chronic disease based on self-reported data. Respondents who did not receive treatment, practiced self-medication, or provided incomplete data were excluded. We used multivariate logistic regression to identify factors associated with health-seeking behavior in formal facilities. Results: The results revealed that 80.7% (n = 1993) of the 2471 respondents sought treatment in formal facilities, whereas 19.3% (n = 478) opted for informal facilities. Respondents who were Bugis (OR 9.187, 95% CI 2.182–38.683; p = 0.002), retired (OR 2.966, 95% CI 1.233–7.135; p = 0.015), did not smoke (OR 1.604, 95% CI 1.126–2.285; p = 0.009), made less than IDR 1,500,000 a month (OR 1.466, 95% CI 1.174–1.831; p = 0.000), had to travel more than 3 km to reach a treatment facility (OR 1.847, 95% CI 1.41–2.42; p = 0.000), or had more than one comorbidity (OR 1.396, 95% CI; p = 0.01) were more likely to seek treatment at formal facilities. Conclusions: These findings are expected to provide recommendations for policymakers, healthcare providers, and researchers to contribute to the development of targeted interventions that can improve healthcare access and utilization, ultimately enhancing health outcomes and equity in Indonesia.