RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ACCESSIBILITY AND SERVICES UTILIZATION AT TAPANULI SELATAN REGIONAL GENERAL HOSPITAL (RGH) IN 2023

Abstract

The low access to health services is a significant challenge in providing health services evenly throughout Indonesia. Low health services utilization is caused by accessibility factors which include distances between health facilities that are too far, long achieve times, transportation modes that are difficult to obtain, and also high transportation rates. The aim of this research is to determine the relationship between accessibility and services utilization at Tapanuli Selatan Regional General Hospital (RGH). This research is a quantitative study with a cross sectional design. The population of this research was all people who used health services at Tapanuli Selatan RGH, totaling 295 people, so the research sample was 75 people. The data collection method is by means of questionnaire interviews. The data analysis method is univariate analysis using frequencies and bivariate analysis using the chi-square test. The research results show that accessibility in the form of transportation modes is 68.0% lacking, long distances are 50.7%, long travel times are 52.0%, and transportation costs are expensive by 56.0%. Respondents who did not utilize Tapanuli Selatan RGH services were 54.7%. The results of the bivariate analysis show that there is a significant relationship between the services utilization of Tapanuli Selatan RGH and the mode of transportation (p=0.005), mileage (p=0.028), achieve time (p=0.004), transportation costs (0.001). Accessibility is often associated with the strategic location of health facilities. Tapanuli Selatan RGH also needs to position its location so that it can reach the wider community and influence the RGH services utilization.