Table1 Definition of variables included in the study

Dependent variable

 Behavioral deviations

1 = if a patient who is willing to obtain care from primary health care (PHC) institutions actually seeks health services at non-PHC institutions; 0 = otherwise

Independent variable

 Sex

1 = male; 2 = female

 Age

1 = 35 ~ 59 years; 2 = 60 ~ 69 years; 3 = 70 ~ 75 years

 Education

1 = illiteracy; 2 = elementary school; 3 = middle school; 4 = high school or higher

 Marital status

1 = married; 0 = others (single, divorced, widowed and separated)

 Healthcare expenditure in the previous year

1 = 0 ~ 3,000 CNY; 2 = 3,000 ~ 4,999 CNY; 3 = 5,000 ~ 9,999 CNY; 4 = 10,000 CNY or more

 Medical insurance

1 = Urban Employee Basic Medical Insurance (UEBMI); 2 = Urban and Rural Residents Basic Medical Insurance (URRBMI)

 Convenience of medical cost reimbursement

1 = didn’t apply for medical reimbursement; 2 = inconvenient; 3 = convenient; 4 = very convenient

 PHC visits due to illness

1 = yes (visit PHC institutions due to illness in the past year); 0 = no

 Polypharmacy

1 = yes (take two or more classes of drugs); 0 = no

 Need of guidance on health issues

1 = yes; 0 = no