Abstract Since the outbreak of sever acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). The potentially serious impact of SARS on people¡¦s accessibility to medical services should not be overlooking. Many wondered whether the fear of SARS among patient¡¦s alike changed people¡¦s seeking behaviors. Kaohsiung Area remains one of the most severely affected areas of Taiwan. We aimed to identify three problems: 1. Whether the impact of SARS influenced hospital¡¦s ambulatory patient¡¦s seeking behaviors (including overuse, underused, health and preventive behavior, fixed medical care place, and use alternative medicine)? 2. Whether the impact of SARS influenced patient¡¦s selection of hospitals level or clinics? 3. Whether the demographic and health status characteristics affected patient¡¦s seeking behaviors during or after the SARS? Questionnaires were distributed to all willing hospital¡¦s ambulatory patients of Kaohsiung Areas during 2003 Feberry to May. The sampling methodology was stratified, and cluster random sampling. The survey included questions regarding concern about 3-SARS-periods (included pre-SARS, during-SARS, after-SARS) patient¡¦s seeking behaviors (13 items of each period) and selection of hospitals level or clinics (1 item), personal demographic and health status characteristics (12 items). Of the 1834 questionnaires distributed, 1101 (60.03%) were returned. The Cronbach [alpha] for internal consistency reliability was 0.861 for the Questionnaire. We used the repeated measured CATMOD procedure in SAS (Version 8.0, SAS Institute Inc., Gary, NC, 1999-2000) to test the data of 3-SARS-periods patients seeking behaviors. We compared pre-SARS with during-SARS, and compared pre-SARS with after-SARS patient¡¦s seeking behaviors. Comparisons were considered significant at P< or =0.01 and P values were 2-tailed. Combined data for the two comparisons showed that significantly decreased the overuse such as repeated use and go to the medical centers for command cold, decreased the underused such as delay seeking care, increased health and preventive behavior, but fixed health care place deceased, the percentage of use alternative medicine¡¦s didn¡¦t significantly changed. The two comparisons of selection of hospitals level and clinics showed that significantly decreased the percentage of selection of medical center level. Male, single, educational level under high school, family income below 50,000 per month, the chronic disease patient's prescription user, the major illness/injury card user, and high use¡]use above E health care card¡^group patients were statistically significant more percentage of overuse, and less percentage of health behavior, fixed medical care place.

In the past, medical industry is a highly exclusive field, people would overcome a great amount of restriction and obstacle while seeking for medical advice. However, the financial obstacle was much reduced after the National Health Insurance program began in March of 1995. It is now easier and more convenient for people to seeking for medical assistance. By learning more about the key point of what people think before seeking for medical assistance, hospital can make more effective marketing programs. The purpose of this research is to understand the situation of medical care seeking behavior of the public. The structrued survey study sampled 334 patients by quota sampling. Information collected in the questionnaire includes situation of the medical care seeking behavior and medical services utilization. A multiple regression was also performed to examine the factors that influenced the medical care seeking behavior. Some managerial implications were also proposed according to the results.

Thesis (M. Phil.)--University of Hong Kong, 2010. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 85-93). Also available in print.

Thesis (M. Soc. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 2003.

Thesis (M. Soc. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 2004.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--West Virginia University, 2002. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains ix, 136 p. Vita. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 65-75).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of South Carolina, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 80-98).

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1982. / Typescript. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 199-211).

Thesis (M. Soc. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 2003. / Also available in print.

Thesis (M. Soc. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 2004. / Also available in print.