| Backgrounds:With the development of economy, the aging of the population is increasingly outstanding in China. With the aging of the population, there are a series of problems, including heavy social burden and health services demand highlighting. The prevalence of chronic diseases in elderly people is related with the diet and living habits, such as hypertension, diabetes. Therefore, the research on medical behavior and influencing factors of the elderly has important significance to ensure the health and use the health resources rationally.Objective:This paper would analyze the medical decision and the choice of medical institutions of the elderly, construct the regression model of the elderly’health seeking behavior, and explore which factors have effect on health seeking behavior and their mechanism. Then put forward feasible suggestions to guide seeking medical treatment and promote the health level of the elderly.Methods:The research analyzed the prevalence, the medical decision and the choice of medical institutions of the elderly based on the data in 2000,2004,2006,2009 and 2011, with descriptive statistics. At the same time, based on Andersen health utilization model, medical decision and the choice of medical institutions regression models were constructed. The mechanism was explained by predisposing characteristics, enabling resources and need, further, the mediator and moderator.Results:The results of descriptive statistics:(1) The prevalence rate increased at first and then decreased, and the top point was 2004. The prevalence rate of the older, female, urban, widowed, less educated was higher. The change trend of the prevalence rate in Liaoning and Hubei was the same as the overall. In Heilongjiang, Hunan and Guangxi, it increased at first and then decreased, and the top point was 2006.In Shandong, it increased since 2006. In Guangxi, the prevalence rate was a higher level, while a low level in Heilongjiang. (2) The consultation rate rose from 2004 to 2011.There was no difference in the rate between different age, health and marital status. The rate was higher in the rural. In 2009, the male patients had a higher rate than female. As to the education, in 2006 and 2009, the less educated had a higher rate. Every year, patients with more severe disease got a higher rate. From the view of provinces, the consultation rate rose in Guizhou, stayed steady in Hunan. Every year, in Liaoning, the rate was a low level, while a high level in Henan. (3) As to the medical institutions, the rural would choose the clinics and the city would choose the hospital.The results of regression models:(1) On the medical decision regression model, the predisposing characteristics, including gender, site, health belief, had influence on the medical behavior. Besides, family size had a negative moderating effect on the disease severity. About enabling resources, income had a positive moderating effect on the disease severity and insurance had influence on the medical behavior. The number of chronic diseases and the disease severity had an impact on the medical behavior. In addition, gender, drinking, dietary scores and the number of chronic disease had an impact on the medical behavior by the mediator variable, disease severity. (2) On the choice of medical institutions regression models, the predisposing characteristics, including age, marriage, education, family size, health belief, had influence on the choice. As to enabling resources, income had influence on the choice. About need, the number of chronic diseases and the disease severity had an impact on the choice.Conclusion:Predisposing characteristics, enabling resources and need had statistical significant impact on medical behavior of the elder. Female and urban had a low consultation rate. Drinking was a protective factor. Persons, the high level in dietary knowledge and health food preferences, had a higher consultation rate. The more number of chronic diseases and severity disease would conduct higher rate. Widowed, less educated, low income, large family size, high dietary scores and sleeping longer preferred clinics or primary health institutions. High level of dietary knowledge, older, more number of chronic diseases and severity disease preferred to choose medical institutions above the county level or hospitals. Suggestions as follow:strengthening health management of the elderly, strengthening the construction of primary health institutions, to carry out health education, to improve the medical insurance mechanism, strengthening the social medical assistance.
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