Morbidity Patterns and Determinants of Healthcare-Seeking Behavior Among Older Women in Selected Rural Areas of Bangladesh

Abstract

Abstract Background Bangladesh has experienced growth in the older population in number and proportion, owing to a decline in fertility and mortality, and an increase in life expectancy. Older women in rural Bangladesh have considerably poorer health status than older men, because of women’s’ higher life expectancy and extreme vulnerability as a result of socioeconomic marginalization. Objectives The purpose of the current study was to explore the morbidity patterns and healthcare-seeking behaviors, and their determinants, among older women in selected rural areas of the Bagerhat District in Bangladesh, and to provide recommendations for potential future interventions in this context. Material and Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted at the household level. Data were collected from 233 randomly selected older women ≥ 60 years of age in three selected villages in the Bagerhat district in Bangladesh in November 2021. Univariate and bivariate analyses (Chi-squared test) were applied to explore morbidities and the associations of healthcare-seeking behaviors with various determinants. Multivariable logistic regression was applied to identify the associations between healthcare-seeking behavior and significant determinants extracted from the bivariate analysis. Results Diabetes and liver diseases were the most common morbidities among older women. Multivariable logistic regression analysis indicated that education, living arrangement, size of the family, and morbidity patterns were significantly associated with seeking healthcare services among older women in rural Bangladesh (P ≤ 0.05). The rates of seeking healthcare services were higher among older women with primary and secondary education, those living with spouses and children, those residing in extended families with seven or more members, and older women with diabetes and liver diseases. Conclusion On the basis of the findings, we suggest that the traditional extended family structure should be sustained, wherein older people are treated with care and respect, thereby promoting healthy aging in rural Bangladesh. Furthermore, family relationships should be strengthened, because older individuals, particularly older women, require emotional and familial support to lead healthy lives. Because gender roles, norms, and relationships influence people’s exposure to disease, awareness programs regarding the prevalence of morbidities in old age, particularly among older women, should be expanded in rural areas to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.