An analysis of the determinants of health-care seeking behavior and the choice of provider: a comparative Study for Rural and Urban Tanzania

This study examines the factors that affect household health-care seeking behaviour and the choice of health-care providers in both rural and urban Tanzania. The study used a Multinomial Logit discrete choice model to explain the underlying determinants of health care seeking behaviour using primal data survey. The choice options considered are private health-care providers, traditional health-care providers, government health-care providers and self-medication or no care. The results indicate that treatment costs, waiting time, quality of health-care, age and location are significant factors affecting the choice of health-care provider. Household size and income also play an important role in health-care seeking behaviour and choice of health-care provider to visit in the event of illness. Other factors like education, severity of the disease, per capita income, insurance, wealth and distance to the nearest health-care provider were found to be insignificant in influencing the choice of health-care provider. Various policy recommendations have been proposed in the study including, improving access to government health-care facilities in remote rural areas. increase promotion of preventive strategies such as insecticide treated bed nets, improvement of drainage systems and clearing of surroundings, building the capacity of drug store operation and involve the operators in the design and delivery local disease prevention and treatment strategies.