Study on the medical behaviors of residents in Yicheng District of Zhumadian

Introduction The current healthcare system layout is not adequate, with insufficient high-quality medical resources and unreasonable allocation, leading people to prefer large hospitals regardless of the severity of their illness, while fewer individuals seek medical care at the primary medical institutions. The pattern of hierarchical diagnosis and treatment has not yet been formed. Methods This study examines the healthcare-seeking behavior of residents in Yicheng District, Zhumadian City, and analyzes the differences in their healthcare-seeking behavior, discussing the problems associated with their choices. This study is primarily based on Anderson’s healthcare utilization model and behavioral theory to design the questionnaire, utilizing multiple independent samples rank sum tests and multiple comparisons for analysis. Results The findings are as follows: (1) Residents exhibit a strong tendency toward self-diagnosis; (2) Residents tend to choose higher-level institutions over lower-level ones and familiar institutions over unfamiliar ones when seeking medical care; (3) Primary medical institutions lack adequate service capabilities. Discussion In this regard, the following countermeasures are proposed: (1) Enhance residents’ medical and health literacy and guide them to seek medical care in an orderly manner; (2) Improve the service level of primary medical institutions; (3) Strengthen the healthcare security mechanism at the primary level.