A cross-sectional study on healthcare seeking behavior among Saudi women in Riyadh

Many researchers have attempted to investigate the relationship between individuals and healthcare utilization; however, there is a lack of adequate studies examining the factors influencing healthcare-seeking behavior among Saudi Arabian women. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the barriers that influence healthcare-seeking behavior among Saudi women in Riyadh city, Saudi Arabia. This cross-sectional study was conducted with 511 Saudi women during October and November of 2022. Ethical approval was obtained from the Research Ethics Committee of King Saud University, Saudi Arabia. Participants completed self-administered online surveys regarding their demographic characteristics, healthcare-seeking behavior, and barriers to seeking healthcare. To analyze the relationship between healthcare-seeking behavior, barriers to healthcare, and independent variables, data were analyzed using SPSS version 23 with descriptive statistics and correlation. The majority of participants were aged 31-40 years. Analysis of the responses to the Barriers to Seeking Healthcare Scale revealed an overall mean score of 14.37 out of 20 (SD = 2.3), indicating that barriers to seeking healthcare significantly impacted the participants. Key findings revealed a statistically significant relationship between occupation (specifically full-time workers) and barriers to seeking healthcare (p = 0.003), suggesting that full-time female workers perceive more barriers to healthcare access. Most participants identified the lack of available appointments and difficulty obtaining required healthcare as significant barriers. Understanding Saudi women's healthcare-seeking behavior and its determinants is crucial for identifying these barriers and improving women's health outcomes. This study confirms the various challenges Saudi women face in seeking healthcare. The conclusion proposes new research directions and strategies to address these challenges. It is important to emphasize that further research is needed to capture the broader cultural and social factors at play. A comprehensive policy intervention is recommended, focusing on recognizing and addressing women's healthcare needs in light of current efforts to reduce these barriers.