Examining the predictors of healthcare facility choice for outpatient care among older adults in India using Andersen’s revised healthcare utilization framework model

BACKGROUND: In India, the demand for outpatient care is substantially higher than inpatient care among older adults. Therefore, the current study examines the level, patterns, and factors associated with outpatient care use. METHODS: The present research used data from the first wave of the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI, 2017–18). A total of 34,588 older adults (45 years and above) who accessed outpatient healthcare services in one year prior to the survey were included in this study. A bivariate chi-square test was applied to present the percentage distribution of types of outpatient healthcare utilization by background characteristics and healthcare responsiveness. Multinomial logistic regression analyses were employed to explore the interplay of outpatient healthcare utilization and allied predisposing, enabling, and need factors. RESULTS: About 63.7% of total older adults used a private facility, followed by 22.8% used a public facility, and 13.5% used other facilities. Years of schooling, household wealth status, place of residence, self-rated health, and health insurance were all found to be significant determinants of public or private facility use. In contrast, respondents' sex was found to be a significant determinant of private healthcare use only. The study finds that there was inadequate healthcare reaction to public health facilities. CONCLUSION: The current study revealed that the use of private facility for outpatient care is noticeably high in India. Older adults' educational attainments, health insurance coverage, and household level economic background were found to be significant factors in healthcare choice. The current study emphasizes the need to strengthen public healthcare services for outpatient care.