Determinants of Health-Seeking Behavior and Access to Healthcare Services in Urban and Rural Populations

Abstract

Health-seeking behavior and access to healthcare services are critical determinants of population health and health equity, particularly in contexts marked by urban–rural disparities. This study aimed to examine the key determinants of health-seeking behavior and access to healthcare services among urban and rural populations using a quantitative cross-sectional design. Guided by Andersen’s Behavioral Model of Health Services Use, data were collected from 600 adult respondents equally distributed between urban and rural areas through a structured questionnaire. Structural equation modeling was employed to analyze the relationships between predisposing factors, enabling resources, perceived health needs, access to healthcare services, and health-seeking behavior, as well as to compare structural relationships across population settings. The results indicate that access to healthcare services plays a central role in shaping health-seeking behavior, with a significantly stronger effect observed in rural populations. Enabling factors, particularly income and health insurance coverage, were found to strongly influence access, while education exerted a greater effect on health-seeking behavior in urban settings. Overall, the findings highlight the importance of context-specific strategies to reduce healthcare access disparities and promote appropriate health-seeking behavior, providing valuable implications for health policy and service planning.