Predictors of Healthcare Demand Procrastination Among Young Adults: Perceived Access and Health Literacy

Abstract

Aims: This study aimed to examine the relationship between healthcare demand procrastination and perceived access to healthcare services and health literacy among young adults, and to determine whether these variables predict healthcare demand procrastination. Methods: This cross-sectional and correlational study was conducted with 362 young adults. Data were collected using a Sociodemographic Information Form, the Healthcare Demand Procrastination Scale, the Perceived Access to Healthcare Services Scale, and the Health Literacy Scale. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression analyses were used for data analysis. Results: Correlation analyses indicated no significant association between healthcare demand procrastination and health literacy or perceived access to healthcare services. In contrast, significant and positive relationships were identified between health literacy and perceived access to healthcare services and their subdimensions. Multiple linear regression analyses revealed that perceived access to healthcare services and health literacy did not significantly predict healthcare demand procrastination or its subdimensions. Conclusion: These findings suggest that healthcare demand procrastination among young adults may occur independently of perceived access to healthcare services and health literacy. It is considered that procrastination in healthcare demand within this age group may be more strongly associated with individual and contextual factors, and that access and health literacy variables alone may not be sufficient to explain healthcare utilization.

Keywords

• health services accessibility
• health literacy
• young adult
• procrastination
• health behavior

Genç Yetişkinlerde Sağlık Hizmeti Erteleme Davranışının Yordayıcıları: Erişim Algısı ve Sağlık Okuryazarlığı

Abstract

Amaç: Bu çalışma, genç yetişkinlerde sağlık hizmeti erteleme davranışının algılanan sağlık hizmetlerine erişim ve sağlık okuryazarlığı ile ilişkisini incelemeyi ve bu değişkenlerin erteleme davranışının yordayıcıları olup olmadığını belirlemeyi amaçlamaktadır. Yöntem: Kesitsel ve ilişkisel tasarıma sahip bu araştırma, 362 genç yetişkin ile yürütülmüştür. Veriler sosyodemografik bilgi formu, Sağlık Hizmeti Erteleme Ölçeği, Algılanan Sağlık Hizmetlerine Erişim Ölçeği ve Sağlık Okuryazarlığı Ölçeği kullanılarak toplanmıştır. Veri analizlerinde tanımlayıcı istatistikler, Pearson korelasyon analizi ve çoklu doğrusal regresyon analizleri kullanılmıştır. Bulgular: Korelasyon analizleri, sağlık hizmeti erteleme davranışı ile sağlık okuryazarlığı ve algılanan sağlık hizmetlerine erişim arasında anlamlı bir ilişki olmadığını göstermiştir. Buna karşın sağlık okuryazarlığı ile algılanan sağlık hizmetlerine erişim ve erişimin alt boyutları arasında anlamlı ve pozitif ilişkiler saptanmıştır. Çoklu doğrusal regresyon analizleri, algılanan sağlık hizmetlerine erişim ve sağlık okuryazarlığının sağlık hizmeti erteleme davranışını ve ertelemenin alt boyutlarını anlamlı biçimde yordamadığını ortaya koymuştur. Sonuç: Bu bulgular, genç yetişkinlerde sağlık hizmeti erteleme davranışının algılanan erişim ve sağlık okuryazarlığından bağımsız olarak ortaya çıkabileceğini düşündürmektedir. Erteleme davranışının bu yaş grubunda daha çok bireysel ve bağlamsal etmenlerle ilişkili olabileceği ve sağlık hizmeti kullanımını açıklamada erişim ve okuryazarlık değişkenlerinin tek başına yeterli olmayabileceği değerlendirilmektedir.

Keywords

• Sağlık hizmetlerine erişilebilirlik
• sağlık okuryazarlığı
• genç yetişkin
• erteleme
• sağlık davranışı

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