Utilization of basic public health services and its influence factors among young migrants

Objective To explore the utilization of basic public health services (BPHS) and its influence factors among young migrants.

Methods We extracted the data on 29 281 migrants aged 15 – 24 years from the National Dynamic Surveillance on Health and Family Planning for Migrant Population conducted in May 2014. Hierarchical linear regression model and multivariate logistic regression model were used to examine the influence factors of BPHS utilization in the participants.

Results The utilization of BPHS was generally at a low level among the participants. For all the participants, only 18% had their health records established; 28.5%, 43.0%, and 31.6% reported having received health education on prevention of occupational disease, AIDS, and sexually transmitted diseases; and 38.4% reported having received health education on reproduction and contraception. Multivariate analyses revealed following significant impact factors for BPHS utilization of the participants: gender (female vs. male: odds ratio OR = 1.101), age (18 – 24 vs. 15 – 17: OR = 1.153), education (junior high school vs. primary school or lower: OR = 0.937), marital status (married vs. unmarried: OR = 0.937), employment (governmental or public institution vs. state-owned enterprise/foreign enterprise, privat enterprise and other employment: OR = 1.666/1.494, OR < 1), region of migration (central/northeastern/western vs. eastern: OR < 1), willingness to stay in the region of migration for a long time (yes vs. no or uncertain: OR < 1), and whether having medical insurance (yes vs. no: OR = 1.704).

Conclusion The accessibility of basic public health services for young migrants is poor; the result suggests that health education should be strengthened in the population.