BACKGROUND: The Center for Integrated Healthcare Service (CIHS) is a crucial resource providing essential services for older adults. The CIHS is a communal resource for older adults (aged 60 years and above), but some may be hesitant to use it. This study was conducted to examine the perspectives of older adults in who do not use the CIHSs to better understand the reasons behind their reluctance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional and mixed-method study conducted on 740 elderly individuals residing in southwest Khuzestan. The data were collected via a questionnaire and semistructured interviews. The questionnaire was divided into two sections, namely, demographics and elderly views, comprising eight dimensions. RESULTS: Out of the total study subjects, 54.05% (400 participants) were females, 59.73% (442 participants) were residing in rural areas, 60.27% (446 participants) were illiterate, 41.89% (310 participants) belonged to poor economic status, and 61.22% (453 participants) had an average health status. Among the reasons for not visiting comprehensive health service centers, “preference of the private sector over the public sector” was the most significant factor and “service quality area” was found to be the least significant factor. CONCLUSION: Older adults often avoid CIHS due to personal and family issues, and healthcare policies should be revised to increase their involvement with preventive resources. Integrating secondary-level services into primary care can improve engagement and utilization of CIHS resources among the elderly population.
Mahboubi et al. (Sun,) studied this question.
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