The present study aims to utilize Health Belief Model to explore the factors influencing Hepatitis B Carrier's health beliefs and the return visit behavior. The cross sectional method is employed. Participants invited to the study are those been diagnosed as Hepatitis B Carrier and receive medical care from one medical center in eastern Taiwan. Data are collected through a telephone interview using a structured questionnaire. A total of 453 telephone interview are conduced and 418 valid questionnaires were returned. The result indicate that 39.7% of the participants return to the outpatient department for health check-up routinely. The group in 61 years of age and older demonstrates the higher return visit rate than the age group of 31~40 years old. The result from Pearson correlation analysis suggests: (1) a positive correlation between the return visit behavior and the perceived susceptibility, severity, and benefits of Hepatitis B Carrier and yet; (2) a negative correlation between perceived barriers of Hepatitis B Carrier and the return visit behavior. The multiple regression analysis shows that age is a predictor of the return visit behavior to participants' perceived susceptibility, severity, and benefits of Hepatitis B Carrier, and it appears to have prediction confidence rate of 21%. The result from the study suggests that the needs for health care facilities and providers to reinforce the patient follow-up management and patient education in order to reduce the incidence of Hepatitis B.
The present study aims to utilize Health Belief Model to explore the factors influencing Hepatitis B Carrier's health beliefs and the return visit behavior. The cross sectional method is employed. Participants invited to the study are those been diagnosed as Hepatitis B Carrier and receive medical care from one medical center in eastern Taiwan. Data are collected through a telephone interview using a structured questionnaire. A total of 453 telephone interview are conduced and 418 valid questionnaires were returned. The result indicate that 39.7% of the participants return to the outpatient department for health check-up routinely. The group in 61 years of age and older demonstrates the higher return visit rate than the age group of 31~40 years old. The result from Pearson correlation analysis suggests: (1) a positive correlation between the return visit behavior and the perceived susceptibility, severity, and benefits of Hepatitis B Carrier and yet; (2) a negative correlation between perceived barriers of Hepatitis B Carrier and the return visit behavior. The multiple regression analysis shows that age is a predictor of the return visit behavior to participants' perceived susceptibility, severity, and benefits of Hepatitis B Carrier, and it appears to have prediction confidence rate of 21%. The result from the study suggests that the needs for health care facilities and providers to reinforce the patient follow-up management and patient education in order to reduce the incidence of Hepatitis B.