The utilization of diagnostic tests among the elderly: Evidence from Malaysia

Diagnostic test plays a major role in reducing the prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The present study examines the relationships between the utilization of diagnostic tests and socioeconomic, insurance, lifestyle, and health factors among the elderly in Malaysia. Analyses based on the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2011 (NHMS 2011) suggest that high income and having private insurance are associated with a higher likelihood of utilizing diagnostic tests. However, low education levels, being employed and smoking are associated with a lower propensity to utilize. These results provide public health administrators with useful information on policy development. In particular, the proposed policies include providing the poor with nominal price of basic diagnostic tests, introducing various health education programmes to the public, creating health awareness campaigns to encourage elders who do not own private insurance to utilize diagnostic tests, as well as making basic diagnostic tests compulsory for all elders owning government insurance. •The present study examines the determinants of the utilization of diagnostic tests.•Socioeconomic, lifestyle and health factors are significantly associated with the utilization of diagnostic tests.•Income is positively associated with the likelihood of using diagnostic tests.•Smoking is negatively associated with the likelihood of using diagnostic tests.