Health Seeking Behaviours and Health Service Utilization

Government health facilities have always been grossly under-utilized. Among other issues of quality and responsiveness, the overall focus on disease prevention and health promotion has been negligible. Private sector though fills the gaps but can neither become the forefront provider for the entire population, nor it can ensure equity. To develop rational policies and feasible plans for efficient, acceptable, cost-effective, affordable and accessible health services, the drivers of health seeking behaviour need to be understood. Traditionally,the health policy planning process has been impaired due to a lack of information relating to the utilization of public, private and informal health care in Pakistan, especially among the rural remote population sub groups. Moreover, the determinants of health service utilization such as socio-demographic, economic physical accessibility, financial accessibility, mother’s autonomy and health service factors are seldom taken into account. This monograph provides a framework to the policy makers and the system managers to make the strategic health plans in the light of complex set of factors which are vital for the user of health services.