The Disease Pattern and Utilisation of Health Care Services in Pakistan

• Published in: Pakistan development review 2002-12, Vol.41 (4), p.745-757
• Main Authors: Mahmood, Naushin, Ali, Syed Mubashir
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Demographic aspects; Digestive system diseases; Disease prevalence rates; Diseases; Economic aspects; Epidemiology; Fever; Health behavior; Health care utilization; HEALTH ISSUES; Intestinal diseases; Medical care; Prevalence studies (Epidemiology); Respiratory diseases; Social aspects; Tuberculosis; Utilization; Viral diseases
• ISSN: 0030-9729
• DOI: 10.30541/v41i4iipp.745-757

Reduced illness, low level of morbidity, and less burden of disease contribute positively to human resource development and economic growth in a country. Using data from the Pakistan Socio-economic Survey, 2000 (MIMAP), this study examines the disease incidence among male-female and urban-rural sub-groups of the population. The findings show that about 12 percent of the population is reported ill during the past two weeks preceding the survey and the incidence is higher among females (13.3 percent) than males (10.5 percent). The pattern of illness varies by age, with younger children 0-4 years and older population 60+ exhibiting higher rates of morbidity. The most common illnesses reported among children are fever, intestinal infections including diarrhea, and viral diseases, which are preventable, whereas the older population suffers mostly from degenerative diseases such as circulatory, diabetes, kidney problems, and injury. In terms of utilisation of health facilities, about 23 percent of those reported ill do not seek any health services, with two major reasons cited as 'no money' (44 percent) and 'no need' (33 percent ) to visit a facility. This suggests that it is not merely the access or availability of services that affect people's health-seeking behaviour; it is more due to poverty and apathy or casual attitude towards health that restrain them from visiting any health facility. Of those who seek treatment of illness, a majority—about 57 percent go to a private doctor, 26 percent visit government facility, and 14 percent visit hakeems/homoeopaths, and others. The findings suggest that health care related programmes must be an important component of the Poverty Reduction Strategy of the country. In this context, the provision of primary health care through community health workers at the grassroots level merits special attention to manage access and equity issues.