title: [Factors associated with senior citizens using primary healthcare services in Cartagena, Colombia].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Establishing the factors associated with using healthcare services for the aged in Cartagena, Colombia.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cross-sectional study. A 656 sample-size was estimated for a population of 66,795 senior citizens; stratified sampling was used. A questionnaire entitled "Using healthcare services" (Uso de los servicios de salud) was used; descriptive statistics and logistical regression were then used for modeling the probability of being a healthcare service user.
  
  
  RESULTS
  656 senior citizens participated in the study; average age was 67.9 years old. 407 of the participants had consulted for disease during the last month (62.0 %); 376 of them (92.4 %) had consulted once or twice. Living in socio-economic strata 4, 5 and/or 6 (Chi² 4.14; p=0.043), having a diagnosed disease (Chi² 3.82 p=0,051), suffering from a chronic disease (Chi² 7.0; p=0.008) or waiting for 30 minutes or less to be seen (Chi² 3.17; p=0.075) were factors associated with using primary healthcare services by senior citizens in Cartagena. Having a diagnosed disease (Chi² 3.59; p=0.0581) and waiting for 30 minutes or less to be seen (Chi² 3.02; p=0.0818) were the regression model variables explaining healthcare service use.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A senior citizen using primary healthcare services in Cartagena was influenced by variables such as residing in mid-level socio-economic strata, having a diagnosed disease, suffering from a chronic disease and waiting for 30 minutes or less to be seen.
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Enfermería, Universidad de Cartagena, Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, icastilloa@unicartagena.edu.co.
authors.forename: Estela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Melguizo-Herrera
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Enfermería, Universidad de Cartagena, Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, icastilloa@unicartagena.edu.co.
authors.forename: Irma Y
authors.initials: IY
authors.lastname: Castillo-Ávila
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged / Q000523:psychology*; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003105:Colombia; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003953:Diagnosis-Related Groups; D005260:Female; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data