Table 2 Multivariate regression analysis of factors associated with the use of alternative medical services by people critically ill during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic (N = 5186)
Variables | Total N = 5156 n (%) | Used alternative medical services | AOR; 95% CI; p value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Yes = 1433 (27.8%) n (%) | No = 3723 (72.2%) n (%) | |||
Age mean (SD) | 36.08 (12.5) | 35.6 (12.1) | 36.2 (12.6) | 0.994; 0.987–1.002; p = 0.127 |
Economic region | ||||
 LICs | 141 (2.7) | 64 (45.4) | 77 (54.6) | 2.121; 1.373–3.277; p = 0.001 |
 LMICs | 2960 (57.4) | 791 (26.7) | 2169 (73.3) | 1.161; 0.950–1.419; p = 0.145 |
 UMICs | 1045 (20.3) | 281 (26.9) | 764 (73.1) | 0.957; 0.756–1.210; p = 0.711 |
 HICs | 1010 (19.6) | 297 (29.4) | 713 (70.6) | 1.000 |
Sex at birth | ||||
 Male | 2205 (42.8) | 617 (28.0) | 1588 (72.0) | 0.909; 0.783–1.057; p = 0.214 |
 Female | 2951 (57.2) | 816 (27.7) | 2135 (72.3) | 1.000 |
Level of education | ||||
 None | 44 (0.9) | 17 (38.6) | 27 (61.4) | 1.649; 0.775–3.507; p = 0.194 |
 Primary | 94 (1.8) | 40 (42.6) | 54 (57.4) | 1.843; 1.099–3.091; p = 0.020 |
 Secondary | 875 (17.0) | 218 (24.9) | 657 (75.1) | 0.736; 0.598–0.906; p = 0.004 |
 College/University | 4143 (80.4) | 1158 (28.0) | 2985 (72.0) | 1.000 |
Employment status | ||||
 Retiree | 179 (3.5) | 43 (24.0) | 136 (76.0) | 0.540; 0.345–0.845; p = 0.007 |
 Student | 881 (17.1) | 235 (26.7) | 646 (73.3) | 1.066; 0.845–1.346; p = 0.590 |
 Unemployed | 876 (17.0) | 252 (28.8) | 624 (71.2) | 0.939; 0.768–1.149; p = 0.544 |
 Employed | 3220 (62.5) | 903 (28.0) | 2317 (72.0) | 1.000 |
Living with HIV | ||||
 Yes | 504 (9.8) | 151 (30.0) | 353 (70.0) | 0.562; 0.433–0.730; p < 0.001 |
 No | 4652 (90.2) | 1282 (27.6) | 3370 (72.4) | 1.000 |
Use drugs | ||||
 Yes | 374 (7.3) | 190 (50.8) | 184 (49.2) | 2.093; 1.609–2.721; p < 0.001 |
 No | 4782 (92.7) | 1243 (26.0) | 3539 (74.0) | 1.000 |
Transact sex | ||||
 Yes | 277 (5.4) | 139 (50.2) | 138 (49.8) | 1.639; 1.198–2.241; p = 0.002 |
 No | 4879 (94.6) | 1294 (26.5) | 3585 (73.5) | 1.000 |
Risk for severe COVID-19 | ||||
 Might be at increased risk | 939 (18.2) | 619 (65.9) | 320 (34.1) | 1.211; 1.005–1.459; p = 0.044 |
 At increased risk | 345 (6.7) | 193 (55.9) | 152 (44.1) | 1.511; 1.134–20.13; p = 0.005 |
 Little or no risk | 3872 (75.1) | 2911 (75.2) | 961 (24.8) | 1.000 |
Challenges accessing usual medical health care | ||||
 Yes | 1922 (37.3) | 1090 (56.7) | 832 (43.3) | 9.047; 7.744–10.571; p < 0.001 |
 No | 3234 (62.7) | 343 (10.6) | 2891 (89.4) | 1.000 |
Difficulty with obtaining medication | ||||
 Yes | 1410 (27.3) | 718 (50.9) | 692 (49.1) | 2.164; 1.843–2.541; p < 0.001 |
 No | 3746 (72.7) | 715 (19.1) | 3031 (80.9) | 1.000 |