Self-reported illness and use of health services in a rural district of Vietnam: findings from an epidemiological field laboratory.

AIMS: The aims of the study were to assess the pattern of self-reported illness as well as use of health services in a rural district in Vietnam, and to analyse these in relation to gender, age, education level, occupation, and economic status.
METHODS: A population-based survey of 11,089 households was conducted in 1999. Through household interviews, data were collected on self-reported health, use of health services during the four weeks prior to the interview, and other background factors.
RESULTS: The prevalence of self-reported illness was 48%. Cough, fever, and headache were the most commonly reported symptoms (20%) while cardiovascular disorders were least reported (0.6%). Occurrence of illness was significantly lower in groups with higher education, especially among men, but there was no difference between occupational and economic groups. Self-treatment was very common (69%). Private health facilities were used to a large extent, while community health stations played a less important role. Use of district hospitals was significantly higher among employed people. DISCUSSION: An epidemiological field laboratory enabled analysis of self-reported illness and use of health services, which is important for planning of health services. We found a high level of reported illness but a very low utilization of community health services. Better knowledge about illness patterns could be important for improving quality of and access to community health services.