Analysis on Influencing Factors of Medical Seeking Behavior of the Elderly Under COVID-19–Based on the DEMATEL Method

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study is to investigate the factors that influence the choice of health care for the elderly population after Covid-19. Based on previous studies, the study innovatively adds the influence of the improvement of digital medical technology and the degree of aging-friendly of different hospitals on the choice of medical institutions for the elderly. The study used a combination of literature research, questionnaires, interviews and factor analysis to identify the main factors influencing the choice of healthcare for the elderly. The results of the study showed that the three most important factors influencing older people's choice of medical seeking behavior were their willingness of treatment, community evaluation and the aging-friendly improvements. The data from this study will be used to analysis the pain points of the elderly in seeking medical treatment and to make recommendations to improve their medical experience. It is hoped that this study will provide some ideas for the development of a model of healthcare access for older people, and better guide them in their healthcare seeking behavior. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.