Coping Strategies Used by Clients Seeking Preventative Health Care Services, Jamaica

This paper is the second in the series in this issue that examines the effect of user fees on the demand for health services in Jamaica. The focus is on the strategies employed by 1,017 clients followed for a period of 18 months, to cope with their need for health care. The results show that a fairly high percentage of the clients found it difficult to meet the cost of care & employed strategies that could compromise their health. Clients with chronic conditions were more likely than others to use avoidant coping strategies -- they postponed or missed appointments, purchased a part of the medication. The strategies used were also influenced by the characteristics of the area (rural/urban) & changed as the burden of costs changed. Adapted from the source document.