Relationship between outpatients’ sociodemographic and belief characteristics and their healthcare-seeking behavioral decision-making: Evidence from Jiaxing city, China

Background: China established the Tiered-network Healthcare Delivery System (THDS) in 2015 to address the disproportionate number of patients attending tertiary hospitals relative to primary- or secondary-care institutions. Although the reported number of outpatients visiting tertiary hospitals is slowly decreasing, numerous patients choose to visit them regardless of their disease’s severity. To effectively implement the THDS, this article explored the relationship between patients’ sociodemographic and belief characteristics and their healthcare-seeking behavioral decision-making in China. Methods: Data obtained through questionnaires were analyzed using decision tree and logistic regression models to explore outpatients’ characteristics and medical decision-making using comprehensive feature data. Moreover, further statistical analyses were conducted on the outpatient data obtained from the regional population health platform in Jiaxing, China. Results: The decision tree model revealed that whether outpatients have medical insurance is the primary factor guiding their healthcare-seeking behaviors, with those without medical insurance more likely to choose primary or secondary hospitals to treat minor diseases. For those with medical insurance, profession is the main factor, with industrial workers more inclined to choose primary or secondary hospitals for minor diseases. The logistic regression analyses revealed that outpatients without insurance and who were not freelancers or individual owners were more likely to choose primary or secondary hospitals for minor diseases. Further statistical analysis of the data from the Jiaxing population health platform showed that, for minor or general diseases, outpatients without medical insurance and employed as farmers tended to choose primary and secondary hospitals over tertiary hospitals. Conclusion: The three analyses yielded consistent results: in China, medical insurance and patients’ profession are the most important factors guiding outpatients’ healthcare-seeking behaviors. Accordingly, we propose that the government should focus on economic reforms to increase outpatients’ visits to primary and secondary hospitals and diagnosis-related groups’ payment of medical insurance to decrease the admittance of patients with minor diseases in large tertiary hospitals. Meanwhile, the government should correct patients’ belief prejudice about selecting hospitals through corresponding publicity.