Factors associated with the utilization of health services among patients with hypertension during the Covid-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study in West Lombok Regency, Indonesia

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic has had a wide impact on all areas of life, especially health. One of the serious impacts that need to be addressed is the utilization of health services among people with a history of co-morbidities, the most common of which is hypertension. The purpose of this study was to determine the factors associated with the utilization of health services among patients with hypertension during the Covid-19 pandemic in West Lombok Regency, Indonesia. This study used a cross-sectional study design involving 435 hypertensive patients, selected using cluster sampling. The research instrument was a questionnaire, and the data was analyzed using univariate (frequency and proportion), bivariate (Chi-square and Fisher’s exact test), and multivariate analysis (multiple logistic regression). The majority of respondents (72.4%) utilized health services, and from the results of the multivariate analysis, the significant factors associated with the utilization were health status (Adj.OR: 0.25; p<0.001); availability (Adj.OR: 6.79; p<0.001); and acceptability (Adj.OR: 0.06; p<0.001). Improving the utilization of health services among patients with hypertension is necessary, as is expanding access to hypertension health services through strengthening health centers, mobile health center services, community integrated services for non-communicable diseases, and home visits.