TY - JOUR
T1 - Religious affiliation and healthcare (non) utilization in China: a nationally representative study
AU - Pan, Stephen W.
AU - Wang, Zhizhong
AU - Wang, Wanqi
AU - Dong, Zihan
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - Religion has profound implications for healthcare utilization. Yet, understanding about religion and healthcare utilization remains poorly understood in China. Motivated by theories of religious social networks and beliefs, we tested two sets of competing hypotheses: H1a—Christian and Muslim affiliation is associated with greater healthcare utilization, H1b—Christian and Muslim affiliation is associated with poorer healthcare utilization; H2a—Buddhist/Eastern religious affiliation is associated with greater healthcare utilization, H2b—Buddhist/Eastern religious affiliation is associated with poorer healthcare utilization. Study data came from the 2010 East Asian Social Survey (EASS) China component, a nationally representative probability sample of adults. Healthcare utilization was measured by whether or not respondents refrained from seeing a doctor in the past 12 months, despite an illness or injury, and by whether or not the respondent was vaccinated for influenza in the past 12 months. Males and females were analyzed separately. Standardized predicted probabilities were calculated from multiple logistic regression. Results partially supported H1b. Muslim females were significantly more likely to report healthcare non-utilization compared to non-religiously affiliated females [64.9% (84% CI 51.0–78.7%) vs. 46.7% (84% CI 44.3–49.1%)]. Non-religiously affiliated females were significantly more likely to be vaccinated for influenza compared to Christian and Muslim females [12.3% (84% CI 10.6–13.9%) vs. 3.2% (84% CI 0.00–7.3%) and 5.3% (84% CI 1.2–9.4%), respectively]. No significant differences in healthcare utilization were detected between Buddhist/Eastern religion members and non-religiously affiliated individuals (i.e., no evidence to support H2a or H2b). Further research is needed to elucidate how healthcare non-utilization may be impacting health outcomes among minority Christian and Muslim females.
AB - Religion has profound implications for healthcare utilization. Yet, understanding about religion and healthcare utilization remains poorly understood in China. Motivated by theories of religious social networks and beliefs, we tested two sets of competing hypotheses: H1a—Christian and Muslim affiliation is associated with greater healthcare utilization, H1b—Christian and Muslim affiliation is associated with poorer healthcare utilization; H2a—Buddhist/Eastern religious affiliation is associated with greater healthcare utilization, H2b—Buddhist/Eastern religious affiliation is associated with poorer healthcare utilization. Study data came from the 2010 East Asian Social Survey (EASS) China component, a nationally representative probability sample of adults. Healthcare utilization was measured by whether or not respondents refrained from seeing a doctor in the past 12 months, despite an illness or injury, and by whether or not the respondent was vaccinated for influenza in the past 12 months. Males and females were analyzed separately. Standardized predicted probabilities were calculated from multiple logistic regression. Results partially supported H1b. Muslim females were significantly more likely to report healthcare non-utilization compared to non-religiously affiliated females [64.9% (84% CI 51.0–78.7%) vs. 46.7% (84% CI 44.3–49.1%)]. Non-religiously affiliated females were significantly more likely to be vaccinated for influenza compared to Christian and Muslim females [12.3% (84% CI 10.6–13.9%) vs. 3.2% (84% CI 0.00–7.3%) and 5.3% (84% CI 1.2–9.4%), respectively]. No significant differences in healthcare utilization were detected between Buddhist/Eastern religion members and non-religiously affiliated individuals (i.e., no evidence to support H2a or H2b). Further research is needed to elucidate how healthcare non-utilization may be impacting health outcomes among minority Christian and Muslim females.
U2 - 10.1007/s43545-021-00278-4
DO - 10.1007/s43545-021-00278-4
M3 - Article
SN - 2662-9283
VL - 1
JO - SN Social Sciences
JF - SN Social Sciences
IS - 11
ER -