The Determinants of Health Care Demand in Ghana: A Case Study of Two Districts in the Ashanti Region

The study examines the factors that determine thehealth care demand of the people of the Ashantiregion of Ghana. The analysis relied oncross-sectional data from 200 respondents selectedfrom 10 communities during the month of May/June,2008. A model which shows the stages of health caredemand in the Region was developed. There is a firstaction of treatment before visiting the hospital. Thesecond action of treatment is dependent on the healthof the respondent after the first visit to thehospital. The study showed that the choice ofhospital is not independent of factors age, educationand cost to hospital. The hierarchical regressionconducted proved that predisposing factors contributethe greatest change in the R squared. From theenabling factors only distance was significant.Duration of Sickness (DOS) was the only factor in theneed variables and very significant in determininghealth care demand. No factor from the communityfactors contributed to the demand for health care.Recommendations were made to improve Health careutilization in the Region.