Family support and transport cost: understanding health service among older people from the perspective of social-ecological model

BACKGROUND: This study is to investigate the interaction of family support, transport cost (ex-post), and disabilities on health service seeking behavior among older people from the perspective of social ecological model. METHOD: We conduct a series of regressions including the Poisson model and Multiple logit model. The Heckman two-stage procedure is also conducted to check the robustness. RESULTS: Given that health care resources are generally concentrated in densely populated urban areas, access to services of higher-class health care facilities is found associated with higher transport cost (ex-post). Family support could also promote the access to higher-class health care facilities. Although disability may impede such access, this effect may be mitigated by paying higher transport cost (ex-post). CONCLUSIONS: Alleviating transport deprivation and promoting family support are critical for access to better healthcare services among older people with disabilities.