Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Public transport is used by many people in Malaysia. This study aimed to determine the percentage of older persons in Malaysia who used public transport to access healthcare facilities. This study provides data on usage of public transportation to access healthcare facilities, and dependency of older persons on others at the healthcare facilities themselves. METHODS: Data from 2018 NHMS, a national community-based survey among older persons aged ?50 years in Malaysia was used. A structured questionnaire was administered to assess transport usage to healthcare facilities among older persons. The questionnaires were completed by 7,117 older persons aged 50 years and above. Descriptive and complex sample analyses were employed as appropriate. RESULTS: Overall 92.5% older persons travelled using own transport to access healthcare facilities, with 4.5% depending on public transport. Rural older persons preferred commuting via public transport (15.7%, 95%CI: 7.36, 31.91) compared to urban older persons (4.8%, 95%CI: 3.13, 7.32). Female older persons required more assistance/ were dependent on others in all areas of the healthcare facilities: clinic area 17.9% (95%CI: 13.47, 2.70), toilet area 16.6% (95%:12.34, 22.10), and car park area 19.3% (95%CI: 14.73, 25.3). DISCUSSION: From this survey, the urban dwellers travelled to the healthcare facilities more frequency with their own transport. The female older persons required more assistance during their visits to the healthcare facilities. Therefore, provision of more public transportation options may assist older persons in accessing and utilising healthcare facilities, besides providing personnel to attend to older persons at the various areas on the healthcare premises themselves.
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@proceedings{APCPH-2019-255,
title = {Public Transport Usage to Access Healthcare Facilities by Older Persons in Malaysia},
author = {Rimah Melati Ab Ghani and Rajini Sooryanarayana and Yau Weng Keong and Elizabeth Chong Gar Mit and Norazizah Ibrahim Wong},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-07-22},
urldate = {2019-07-22},
journal = {6th Asia-Pacific Conference on Public Health 2019 Proceedings},
issue = {6},
abstract = {INTRODUCTION: Public transport is used by many people in Malaysia. This study aimed to determine the percentage of older persons in Malaysia who used public transport to access healthcare facilities. This study provides data on usage of public transportation to access healthcare facilities, and dependency of older persons on others at the healthcare facilities themselves. METHODS: Data from 2018 NHMS, a national community-based survey among older persons aged ?50 years in Malaysia was used. A structured questionnaire was administered to assess transport usage to healthcare facilities among older persons. The questionnaires were completed by 7,117 older persons aged 50 years and above. Descriptive and complex sample analyses were employed as appropriate. RESULTS: Overall 92.5% older persons travelled using own transport to access healthcare facilities, with 4.5% depending on public transport. Rural older persons preferred commuting via public transport (15.7%, 95%CI: 7.36, 31.91) compared to urban older persons (4.8%, 95%CI: 3.13, 7.32). Female older persons required more assistance/ were dependent on others in all areas of the healthcare facilities: clinic area 17.9% (95%CI: 13.47, 2.70), toilet area 16.6% (95%:12.34, 22.10), and car park area 19.3% (95%CI: 14.73, 25.3). DISCUSSION: From this survey, the urban dwellers travelled to the healthcare facilities more frequency with their own transport. The female older persons required more assistance during their visits to the healthcare facilities. Therefore, provision of more public transportation options may assist older persons in accessing and utilising healthcare facilities, besides providing personnel to attend to older persons at the various areas on the healthcare premises themselves.},
note = {Type: POSTER PRESENTATION; Organisation: Institute for Public Health, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Setia Alam, Selangor, Malaysia, Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Ministry of Health Malaysia},
keywords = {healthcare facilities, Malaysia, National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS), older persons, public transport},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {proceedings}
}