Health-Seeking Behaviour Among Men Aged 15–54 Years: An Analysis of Socio-Economic and Demographic Determinants Using 2015–16 Angola Demographic and Health Survey

Abstract

Background: Health-seeking behaviour among men in Angola remains disturbingly low. According to the 2015–16 Angola Demographic and Health Survey, 87.2% of men did not seek medical care when ill or injured. Despite numerous national and international campaigns promoting the use of healthcare services to achieve good health and well-being for all, men as a distinct population group have received limited attention in Angola’s public health agenda . This study aims to investigate the socio-demographic factors influencing health-seeking behaviour among men aged 15–54 in Angola. Methodology: This quantitative study used secondary cross-sectional data from the 2015–16 Angola Demographic and Health Survey (ADHS), specifically the men's recode dataset (MR file), comprising a weighted sample of 5,684 men aged 15–54 years. The outcome variable was health-seeking behaviour, measured by whether respondents sought medical care in the past 30 days due to illness or accident. Data analysis was conducted using Stata version 14 and involved three stages: univariate analysis (frequencies and percentages), bivariate analysis (Pearson Chi-square test), and multivariate analysis (stepwise binary logistic regression) to assess associations between socio-demographic factors and health-seeking behaviour. Results: Majority of respondents were aged 15-24 years old, accounting for 43.8%. The proportion of men in Angola varied by region, with the majority residing in Luanda region 45,5% and 71,7% living in urban areas. Only 15.2 % of men sought medical care in the last 30 days due to an illness or accident. Most men, 90.5% of them did not have health insurance. The multivariate analysis indicated that age groups 35-44 (aOR=1.75; 95% CI: 1.28:2.37), affiliation with the Catholic religion (aOR=0.65; 95% CI: 0.46:0.91), converse in Portuguese (aOR=1.68; 95% CI: 1.17:2.39), some media exposure (aOR=2.48; 95% CI: 1.26:4.86), full media exposure (aOR=1.96; 95% CI: 1.03:3.71) proved to be associated with Health-seeking behaviour among men aged 15-54 years in Angola. Geographical disparities were also evident, with men in rural areas and certain regions like Cabinda, Huambo, and Bie were found to be less likely to seek Health than those in urban centers like the region of Luanda. The study also highlighted the positive influence of health insurance (aOR=2.88; 95% CI: 1.75:4.72) and those with richer wealth status (aOR=1.75; 95% CI: 1.00:3.05) on Health utilization. Conclusion: Health-seeking behaviour among men aged 15–54 in Angola is low, with factors such as religious affiliation, place of residence, region, wealth status, health insurance, and media exposure significantly influencing men's health-seeking behaviour. The findings ix highlight the need for the Angolan government to strengthen health policies aimed at improving men's health-seeking behaviour. This study contributes to a better understanding of men's health-seeking dynamics in Angola, and it underscores the need for more comprehensive data collection and further research in this area