title: Two years post-tsunami in Thailand: who still needs assistance?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  On 26 December 2004, 280 000 people lost their lives in the Asia-Pacific region. A massive earthquake struck Indonesia, triggering a tsunami that affected several countries, including Thailand. This tsunami had important implications for the health status of Thai citizens and health planning, and thus there is a need to study its long-term impact.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cohort study identified determinants of health service utilization (outpatient services, inpatient services, home care, medications and informal care) 1 and 2 years post-tsunami in Thailand. A two-part model with a multivariate logistic regression for each part was used to identify determinants of the propensity and intensity of utilization.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 1943 participants, 1889 (97.2%) participated at 1 year and 1814/1889 (96.0%) at 2 years. Common determinants of health service utilization in post-tsunami settings were age, marital status, education level, employment status, number of health conditions and (physical and mental) health status.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Knowing the determinants of health service use, health providers may be able to establish programmes for, or to carefully monitor populations, who are more likely to use services. The study results may be used to inform requests for health resources or to assist the development of guidelines for long-term disaster recovery planning.
authors.affiliation: St Michael's Hospital, Centre for Excellence in Economic Analysis Research, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, 193 Yonge Street, 8th Floor, Toronto, Ontario M5B 1M8, Canada.
authors.forename: Wanrudee
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Isaranuwatchai
authors.forename: Denise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Guerriere
authors.forename: Gavin J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Andrews
authors.forename: Peter C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Coyte
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004189:Disaster Planning; D055866:Earthquakes; D005260:Female; D006285:Health Planning; D006296:Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013785:Thailand; D057192:Tsunamis; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Delivery of healthcare; Disasters; Epidemiological determinants; Health service utilization; Thailand; Tsunami