Healthcare Seeking Behaviour in Medical and Non-Medical Students: A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study in Tangerang Indonesia
Abstract
Background: Adolescence is a phase in life where one grows and learns about necessary skills and particular knowledge. One of the top barriers to seeking health-care in medical students is academic reprisal because they fear that whatever illness will affect them adversely. This study aimed to look at health-care-seeking behaviors in Indonesian medical students as compare to non-medical students.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was done at the Universitas Pelita Harapan, Tangerang, Indonesia. Independent T-test analysis and chi-square performed using SPSS version 25.
Results: There were 428 participants in this study with 261 (60.98%) female respondents. There were a significant mean difference (p = 0.0014) in the age at which they start working for the first time in the medical groups (17.96 years) and non-medical groups (18.75 years). In addition, a significant difference depicted (p = 0.044) on accessing of health-care facilities as medical students (59.26%) as compared to non-medical students (40.74%).
Conclusion: There were a significant mean difference between medical students and non-medical students regarding their health-care-seeking behavior. Although often overlooked, adolescents also require health-care treatments, either medically or mentally.
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Copyright (c) 2023 Dyana Safitri Velies, Gilbert Sterling Octavius, Sherly Sherly, Cindy Riannie, Veli Sungono, Fransisca Handy Agung
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