Help-Seeking Behavior, Use, and Satisfaction Among Frequent Primary Care Users in Santiago de Chile

• Published in: Journal of health and social behavior 1988-09, Vol.29 (3), p.199-213
• Main Author: Scarpaci, Joseph L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child care; Child health services; Child, Preschool; Chile; Consumer Behavior; Delivery of Health Care - organization & administration; Delivery of Health Care - utilization; Differential and comparative psychology; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gender Identity; Health Care Utilization; Health surveys; Help seeking behavior; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Male; Men; Middle Aged; Patient Acceptance of Health Care - statistics & numerical data; Patient care; Physicians; Population; Prescription drugs; Primary Health Care; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Quality of Life; Social behavior; Socioeconomic Factors; Urban Population
• ISSN: 0022-1465; 2150-6000
• DOI: 10.2307/2137032

This research presents the findings of a survey of 140 frequent users of a National Health Service System (SNSS) primary-care clinic in Santiago, the Chilean capital. The purpose of the survey was to examine attributes of patients' help-seeking behavior, the frequency of clinic use, and satisfaction with care. Patients evaluated care in relatively positive terms, thus corroborating unpublished but highly publicized research findings by the military government. Multiple regression analyses identified the best predictors of perceived quality of care and frequency of clinic use. In general, organizational as opposed to demographic variables are the best predictors. Patients cited good chairside manner, clinical tests, and the receipt of medicines as positive aspects of their visits to the clinic. Research findings in this study are then compared to those elsewhere in Chile and in Great Britain, United States, and South American countries other than Chile. It is argued that changes in management practices may increase both use of and satisfaction with medical services. Attitudes about the role of the SNSS in providing primary care to the urban poor suggest that efforts to cut back SNSS services further may be resisted.