Objectives : The purpose of this study was to examine the health care utilization pattern and its related factors of elementary school students with abnormal result of urine test program.
Methods : A questionnaire survey was performed for 361 elementary school students (4-6th grade) with abnormal findings in the urine test in 2000.
Results : The proportion of students who utilized medical facilities was 74.8%. In simple analysis, among variables of predisposing factors, sex and health concern of the student showed significant relations with the health care utilization(p ≶ 0.05). Variables of enabling factors were not significantly related with the health care utilization. Among variables of need factors, recognition for the test result, perception of meaning for the test result, parents’ response to the test result, and health counselling for the test result were significantly related with the health care utilization(p ≶ O.O1). The health care utilization was not significantly related with parents’ factors. The health education times in a year and notice method of the test result to parents had significant relations with the health care utilization(p ≶ O.O1). In multiple logistic regression analysis, the significant variables affecting the health care utilization were "students’ health concern" (OR 2.73, 95% CI 1.29-5.76), "health education times in a year"(OR 1.53, 95% CI 1.05-2.21) and "parents’ response to the test result"(OR 33.18, 95% CI14.02-78.54). Among students who utilized the medical facilities, 95.9% of the subjects utilized hospital and clinic, 93.3% of the subjects was accompanied by parent, 65.4% of the subjects visited the medical facilities during 2-7 days after they received the test result. In the diagnostic workup of the medical facilities, 68.2% of subjects had no disease and 7.8% had renal problem. The proportion of those who didn’t utilize the medical facilities was 25.2% of the subjects and the major reason why they didn’t was "abnormal findings seemed insignificant to them".
Conclusions : On consideration of above findings, a counselling for abnormal urine findings and its management, a continuous and systematic health education for students, and a program for parents support are needed for students health management.
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