Healthcare seeking behaviour of students living on their own compared to those living in the parental home: a cross-sectional study.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate differences in healthcare seeking behaviour and barriers between students living in the parental home and those living on their own. Participants: Five hundred and six second year students of the University of Amsterdam (UvA), interviewed in March and April 2015. Methods: In a paper-and-pencil survey, questions were asked about the students' healthcare seeking behaviour and barriers. Differences according to residency were analysed with χ²-tests and regression models. Results: The frequency of healthcare seeking behaviour varied according to residency, but none of the differences were statistically significant. Yet, a proportion of students living on their own visited primary healthcare providers less often after they changed residency (23.7% for general practitioner and 41.8% for dentist). Travel distance and lack of time were most often mentioned as barriers to students living on their own. Conclusion: The barriers implicate the importance of encouraging students living on their own to switch to a new general practitioner or dentist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]