title: Factors associated with health service utilization in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia: a population-based survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Understanding patterns of health service utilization can improve health care and increase use of health services. We examined patterns of health service utilization among residents of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 500 adults were surveyed using paper-based questionnaires. The χ(2) test and multiple logistic regression were used to identify associations between factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  44.1% of respondents had visited a physician during the previous 12 months. After controlling for determinants, the significant predictors of utilization of health service were attention to health examinations (OR = 3.6, CI: 1.93-6.76), being married (OR = 2.7, CI: 1.50-4.72), being satisfied with the overall cleanliness of the hospital (OR = 2.4, CI: 1.12-5.19), being a nonsmoker (OR = 2.2, CI: 1.21-3.98), having periodic physical examinations (OR = 2.2, CI: 1.25-3.71), not being a hospital patient during the previous 3 years (OR = 2.1, CI: 1.22-3.73), having proper documentation (OR = 1.9, CI: 1.10-3.43), having medical insurance (OR = 1.9, CI: 1.96-3.28), not wanting to receive information on food and nutrition (OR = 0.6, CI: 0.36-0.96), having more than 5 household members (OR = 0.5, CI: 0.50-0.85), low income (OR = 0.5, CI: 0.30-0.85), lack of concern for food and nutrition (OR = 0.5, CI: 0.28-0.84), self-medication during the past 12 months (OR = 0.4, CI: 0.24-0.69), and desire for treatment abroad (OR = 0.4, CI: 0.20-0.60).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A number of health-related behaviors and sociodemographic factors were important predictors of health service utilization.
authors.affiliation: International Community Care and Life Span Development: Empowerment Sciences, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan. c0930400@md.tsukuba.ac.jp
authors.forename: Amarsanaa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gan-Yadam
authors.forename: Ryoji
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shinohara
authors.forename: Yuka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sugisawa
authors.forename: Emiko
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Taeko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Maki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hirano
authors.forename: Etsuko
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tomisaki
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Morita
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Onda
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tokutake
authors.forename: Yukiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mochizuki
authors.forename: Misako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Chihiro
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sugita
authors.forename: Tokie
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Anme
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006296:Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008986:Mongolia; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult