Table 1 Definitions of variables: Analysis of Bypassing Primary Health Centers, the China Health and Aging Longitudinal Study, 2011–2015
From: Bypassing primary care facilities: health-seeking behavior of middle age and older adults in China
Variable | Description |
|---|---|
Dependent variable | |
 Bypassing | 1 if a patient bypasses primary health center (PHC) to seek care from a higher-tier facility (secondary or tertiary facilities); 0 otherwise. |
Independent variable | |
 Age (years) | |
  45–54 | 1 if the individual is aged 45–54 years; 0 otherwise |
  55–64 | 1 if the individual is aged 55–64 years; 0 otherwise |
   ≥ 65 | 1 if the individual is aged ≥65 years; 0 otherwise |
 Male | 1 if the individual is male; 0 for female |
 Educational attainment | |
  Illiterate | 1 if the individual is illiterate; 0 otherwise |
  Elementary school | 1 if the individual attended elementary school; 0 otherwise |
  Middle school | 1 if the individual graduated from middle school; 0 otherwise |
  High school | 1 if the individual graduated from high school; 0 otherwise |
  Above three-years of college | 1 if the individual had above three-years of college; 0 otherwise |
 Married | 1 if the individual is married; 0 otherwise |
 Household income | |
  Low income | 1 if the individual’s household income is in the first quartile; 0 otherwise |
  Lower middle income | 1 if the individual’s household income is in second quartile; 0 otherwise |
  Upper middle income | 1 if the individual’s household income is in the third quartile; 0 otherwise |
  High income | 1 if the individual’s household income is in the highest quartile; 0 otherwise |
 Medical insurance | |
  UEMI | 1 if the individual is enrolled in Urban Employee Medical Insurance; 0 otherwise |
  URMI | 1 if the individual is enrolled in Urban Resident Medical Insurance; 0 otherwise |
  NRCMI | 1 if the individual is enrolled in New Rural Cooperative Medical Insurance; 0 otherwise |
  Other Insurance | 1 if the individual is enrolled in Government Medical Insurance, Urban and Rural, has either Resident Medical Insurance, Private Medical Insurance, Medical Aid, or Other medical insurance; 0 otherwise |
  No Insurance | 1 if the individual does not have medical insurance; 0 otherwise |
 Health status | |
  Poor | 1 if the individual reports health status to be poor; 0 otherwise |
  Fair | 1 if the individual reports health status to be fair; 0 otherwise |
  Good | 1 if the individual reports health status to be good or better; 0 otherwise |
 Specific chronic conditions | |
  Hypertension | 1 if the individual has hypertension; 0 otherwise |
  Dyslipidemia | 1 if the individual has dyslipidemia; 0 otherwise |
  Diabetes | 1 if the individual has diabetes or high blood sugar; 0 otherwise |
  Chronic lung diseases | 1 if the individual has chronic lung diseases; 0 otherwise |
  Heart diseases | 1 if the individual has heart diseases; 0 otherwise |
  Kidney disease | 1 if the individual has kidney disease; 0 otherwise |
  Stomach diseases | 1 if the individual has stomach or other digestive diseases; 0 otherwise |
  Arthritis or rheumatism | 1 if the individual has arthritis or rheumatism; 0 otherwise |
  Other major chronic diseases | 1 if the individual has cancer or malignant tumor, liver disease, stroke, emotional, nervous or psychiatric problems, memory-related disease, or asthma; 0 otherwise |
 Functional limitations | |
  None | 1 if the individual can eat, toilet, dress, bathe/shower, get in/out of bed, and walk without difficulty; 0 otherwise |
  Mild | 1 if the individual has one or two difficulties in eating, toileting, dressing, bathing/showering, getting in/out of bed, or walking; 0 otherwise |
  Moderate | 1 if the individual has three or four difficulties in eating, toileting, dressing, bathing/showering, getting in/out of bed, or walking; 0 otherwise |
  Severe | 1 if the individual has five to six difficulties in eating, toileting, dressing, bathing/showering, getting in/out of bed, or walking; 0 otherwise |
 Hospitalization | 1 if the individual reports hospitalization in the past 12 months; 0 otherwise |
 Relative travel time | The ratio of travel time to a primary care facility to travel time to a secondary or tertiary level facility for individuals in the community |