Assessing the Correlates of Non-Utilisation of Healthcare Services among Adolescents in South Africa:Does Family Structure Matter?

Khuthala Mabetha
Nicole De Wet- Billings, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
Clifford O. Odimegwu, University of the Witwatersrand

Introduction: Although previous studies have examined the effect of family structure on several domains of adolescent wellbeing, the effect of family structure on adolescent healthcare utilisation has remained largely neglected in existing literature. Methods: Secondary data obtained from 2017 General Household Survey was analysed among a weighted sample of 662,984 adolescents aged 10-19 years who did not consult a health worker in the past three months preceding the survey, as a result of illness. Chi-square tests and binary logistic regression methods were employed. Results: The odds of non-utilisation of healthcare services are 1.52 times higher among adolescents who live in child-headed households and 7.08 times higher among adolescents who are raised by non-related adults in relation to adolescents who are raised in nuclear families Conclusion: It is crucial to recognize the heterogeneity of family structures and the role they play in adolescent wellbeing, in particular, access to healthcare services.