Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-m8qmq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-18T00:10:42.723Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Accessibility, Mobility and Spatial Patterns of Primary Health Care use in Ajedabiya: a Household Interview Survey

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 March 2015

Salem F. Salem
Salem F. Salem*
Affiliation:
Department of Geography, Garyounis University, Benghazi
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The primary objective of this study is to examine the type of Primary Health Care (PHC) facility used by a sample of households in Ajedabiya, taking into account the respondents' living standards and their perception of the quality of the care provided, as well as the mode of travel and travel time required to reach the health care centres. The overall level of service use has been increasing over time, reaching an annual consultation rate of up to four visits per person per year, a high level by international standards. Three major groupings of disease were identified for which the four selected PHC facilities were preferred. Satisfaction with care was analysed by looking at key variables, including staff behaviour, availability of doctors, vector distance to the PHC facility, general evaluation of health services and qualified doctors. Household incomes did not appear to be an important factor except for attending private clinics. Unlike income, distance had a strong effect on utilisation, leading to the conclusion that PHC should continue to be provided within the community, and developed further to achieve equity, effectiveness and affordability.

Type
Articles
Information
Libyan Studies , Volume 41 , 2010 , pp. 47 - 62
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Libyan Studies 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Abudejaja, A., Khan, M., Singh, R., Tower, A., Narayanappa, M., Gubta, S. and Umer, S. 1987. Experience of a family clinic at Benghazi, Libya and socio-medical aspects of its catchment population. Family Practice 4.1: 19–26.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Al-Dadah, O. 2005. The distribution of health institutions in Obari area in terms of qualifications and competence for the fulfilment of health requirements of the population of Wadi Al-Hayat. (In Arabic). Unpublished Master's Thesis, University of Garyounis. Benghazi, Libya.Google Scholar
Al-Ribdi, M. 1990. The geography of health care in the Al-Qassim region. Unpublished PhD Thesis, Southampton University, UK.Google Scholar
Bagheri, N., Benwell, G. L. and Holt, A. 2005. Measuring spatial accessibility to primary health care. Presented at the Annual Colloquium of Spatial Information Research. Nov. 24. University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.Google Scholar
Bailey, W. and Phillips, D. R. 1990. Spatial patterns of use of health services in the Kingston metropolitan area, Jamaica. Social Science and Medicine 30.1: 1–12.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Freeborn, D K. and Greenlick, M R. 1973. Evaluation of the performance of ambulatory care system: research requirements and opportunities. Medical Care 11.1: 11–68.Google ScholarPubMed
Habib, O. S. and Vaughan, T. P. 1986. The determinants of health services utilization in southern Iraq: A household interview survey. International Journal of Epidemiology 15.3: 359–403.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Husein, K., Adeyi, O., Bryant, J. and Carva, N. 1993. Developing a primary health care management information system that supports the pursuit of equity, effectiveness and affordability. Social Science and Medicine 36.5: 485–596.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Khan, A. and Bhardwaj, S. 1994. Access to Health Care. Evaluation and Health Professions 17.1: 60–76.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kloos, H. 1990. Utilization of selected hospitals, health centres and health stations in central, southern and western Ethiopia. Social Science and Medicine 31.2: 101–114.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Knight, C. G. 1971. The ecology of African sleeping sickness. Annals of the Association of American Geographers 61: 23–44.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kroeger, A. 1983. Anthropological and socio-medical health care research in developing countries. Social Science and Medicine 17.3: 47–61.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Langee, H. 2005. The geographic distribution of PHC services and their future horizons in the city of Benghazi. (in Arabic) Unpublished Master's degree, University of Garyounis. Benghazi, Libya.Google Scholar
Phillips, D. R. 1980. Spatial patterns of surgery attendance: some implications for the provision of primary health care. Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners 30: 688–695.Google ScholarPubMed
Phillips, D. R. 1984. Medical services in new towns where mixed traditional and modern systems exist. The Hong Kong example. In Boey, Y. M. (ed.), High-rise, high-density living. Singapore Professional Centre Convention 1983, Selected Papers, Singapore: 223–230.Google Scholar
Phillips, D. R. 1986. The demand for and utilization of health services. In Pacione, M. (ed.), Medical geography: Progress and Prospect, Croom Helm, London: 200–247.Google Scholar
Phillips, D. R. 1990. Health and health care in the Third world. Longman Development Studies.Google Scholar
Qureshi, N. A., Abdelgadir, M. H., Al-Amri, A. H., Al-Beyari, T. H., and Jacob, P. 1996. Strategies for enhancing the use of PHC services by nomads and rural communities in Saudi Arabia, Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal 2.2: 326–333.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Salem, F. S. 1994. The geography of health in Libya: Accessibility to, Utilization of and Satisfaction with Public Polyclinics in Benghazi. Unpublished PhD Thesis, University of Durham, UK.Google Scholar
Salem, F. S. and El-Haddad, A. 2002. Applied Studies in Human Geography of Libya. (In Arabic). Publications of Garyounis University, Benghazi, Libya.Google Scholar
Scarpaci, J. L. 1988. Help-seeking behavior, use and satisfaction among frequent primary care users in Santiago de Chile. Journal of Health and Social Behaviour 29: 199–213.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
S.P.L.A.J. Department of Statistics and General Census, 1995.Google Scholar
S.P.L.A.J. Department of Statistics and General Census, 2006.Google Scholar
United Nations 2004. Demographic Yearbook, Department of International Economic and Social Affairs, Statistical Office, New York.Google Scholar
Whitelegg, J. 1982. Inequalities in Health Care: Problems of Access and provision. Straw Barnes, Retford.Google Scholar
WHO 2008. Historic Conference on PHC to Renew Commitment to Health for All. Held in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso between 28–30 04, West Africa.Google Scholar
Zardoomy, R. 2004. The Spatial Differentiation of Diseases Distribution in Benghazi City: An Empirical Study in Medical geography. (In Arabic). Unpublished Master's Degree, Geography Department, University of Garyounis, Benghazi, Libya.Google Scholar