Care-seeking behavior of women with reproductive health problems from low-income areas of Beirut.

Objective: To examine the patterns of care-seeking behavior and provider choice of women with self-reported reproductive health problems from 3 urban communities in Beirut.

Methods: The study was based on a sample of 1869 completed questionnaires from 2051 eligible women (married or had been married, and between 15 and 59 years) obtained during the Urban Health Survey. Associations between community of residence, other background characteristics, and two outcome measures (health care usage and choice of provider) were assessed using logistic regression.

Results: Of the 1869 women assessed, 439 (23.5%) reported reproductive health problems; of these, 273 (62%) women sought care for their problems, with the majority (52.5%) using private providers. Younger age, health insurance, and severity and duration of problems were associated with use. Women with higher parity and those with financial problems were significantly more likely to use public and subsidized services.

Conclusion: The private health sector needs to be more involved in planning, implementing, and offering reproductive health care in low-income communities.