Determinants of Bangladeshi patients' decision-making process and satisfaction toward medical tourism in India
Authors
Muhammad Zakaria
Department of Communication and Journalism, University of Chittagong, Chattogram, Bangladesh
Muhammad Islam
Department of Communication, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
Md Islam
Department of Communication, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
Aklima Begum
Department of English, Shaikh Burhanuddin Post Graduate College, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Nahida Poly
Department of English, Daffodil International University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Feng Cheng
Vanke School of Public Health, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
Junfang Xu
Center for Health Policy Studies, School of Public Health, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
Keywords:
medical tourism, tourism destination, medical tourism costs, country environment, facility, services
Abstract
Objectives
The aims are to explore the factors influencing Bangladeshi patients' decision-making process and their satisfaction level toward medical tourism in India.
Methods
The study used a quantitative research approach with a cross-sectional survey. Data were collected from the patients or their relatives (N = 388) who would have decided to travel to India for medical and treatment purposes at the Chittagong Indian visa center (IVAC). Data were collected using a structured, pre-tested, and facilitator-administered questionnaire, which mainly included the social demographic characteristics, health status, medical tourism information and medical tourism index. Hierarchical regression analysis was performed to explore the factors influencing their satisfaction level toward medical tourism in India.
Results
More than three-fourths of the participants had visited India for self-treatment. Of the participants, 14% were cardiology patients, and 13% suffered from cancer. The relatives were the key source of information regarding medical tourism for more than one-fourth of the respondents. India's availability of well-experienced doctors, hospital/medical facilities with high standards, well-trained doctors, reputable doctors, and quality treatments and medical materials were top-ranked items. Regression results depict that facility and services appeared as the strongest factor (β = 0.24, t = 4.71, p < 0.001) followed by tourism destination factor (β = 0.16, t = 3.11, p = 0.002), medical tourism costs factor (β = 0.16, t = 3.24, p = 0.001) and country environment factor (β = 0.15, t = 2.69, p = 0.007).
Conclusions
We found that the factor related to facility and services is one of the strongest predictors in our models. Therefore, home countries must strengthen the health care providers' advanced professional training, including service attitudes. Moreover, it is important to lessen the language barrier, reduce the airfare for medical tourists, and make the treatment cost more affordable for patients.
Keywords: medical tourism, tourism destination, medical tourism costs, country environment, facility, services
Author Biographies
Muhammad Zakaria, Department of Communication and Journalism, University of Chittagong, Chattogram, Bangladesh
Department of Communication, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
Feng Cheng, Vanke School of Public Health, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
Institute for Healthy China, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
Junfang Xu, Center for Health Policy Studies, School of Public Health, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
Department of Pharmacy, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
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