Young adults' healthcare utilisation and healthcare needs: Perceptions and experiences of healthcare providers

Background Health care in many countries entails long waiting times. Avoidable healthcare visits by young adults have been identified as one probable cause. Objective The aim of this study was to explore healthcare providers' experiences and opinions about young adults' healthcare utilisation in the first line of care. Method This study used latent qualitative conventional content analysis with focus groups. Four healthcare units participated: two primary healthcare centres and two emergency departments. This study included 36 participants, with 4-7 participants in each group, and a total of 21 registered nurses and 15 doctors. All interviews followed an interview guide. Results Data were divided into eight categories, which all contained the implicit theme of distribution of responsibility between the healthcare provider and the healthcare user. Young adult healthcare consumers were considered to be highly influenced by external resources, often greatly concerned with small/vague symptoms they had difficulty explaining and unable to wait with. The healthcare provider's role was much perceived as being part of a healthcare structure-a large organisation with multiple units-and having to meet different priorities while also considering ethical dilemmas, though feeling supported by experience. Conclusion Healthcare personnel view young adults as transferring too much of the responsibility of staying healthy to the healthcare system. The results of this study show that the discussion of young adults unnecessarily seeking health care includes an underlying discussion of scarcity of resources. Patient or Public Contribution The conduct of this study is based on interviews with young adult patients about their experiences of seeking healthcare.

Automated summary

Healthcare providers believe that young adults rely too much on the healthcare system to stay healthy. Young adults are influenced by external resources, concerned about minor symptoms they struggle to explain, and unable to wait. The healthcare provider's role is seen as part of a healthcare structure, needing to meet different priorities and ethical dilemmas, while feeling supported by experience.