Understanding Determinants Of Health Service Utilisation Among Asian Migrants In New Zealand: A Quantitative Study.

<p><strong>The Asian migrant population in New Zealand has been steadily growing, accounting for 17.3% of the total population. Previous research has shown that Asian migrants experience significant health disparities compared to the majority group of European New Zealanders. One factor contributing to these disparities in health is inequitable access to health services. This study investigated factors influencing healthcare utilisation behaviours among Asian migrants in New Zealand. It examined the determinants of unmet need for primary healthcare services, barriers to access, and explored predictors of transnational healthcare utilisation across general practitioner, dental, specialist, and hospital services. Guided by an adaptation of the original Andersen’s Behavioural Model of Health Services Use (1960) and Yang and Hwang’s Immigrant Health Behaviour Model (2016), this quantitative study utilised secondary data from the Immigrant Wellbeing Survey. The sample included 159 Asian migrants aged 30 and older who migrated to New Zealand as adults. Predictor variables were categorised into predisposing factors (age, gender, education status, marital status, work status, visa status and length of residence), enabling factors (economic stability, discrimination experience, vicarious racism, English proficiency, emotional and instrumental support), and need-based factors (self-rated physical and mental health and quality of life). The three primary outcomes assessed included unmet need for primary healthcare services, barriers to access and transnational healthcare utilisation. Key findings revealed that enabling factors, particularly economic stability and experiences of discrimination, had the most influence on healthcare use. Poorer economic stability significantly predicted unmet healthcare needs, particularly avoidance of GP services (OR = 0.58). Personal barriers were more prevalent among recent migrants (OR = 0.95) and those experiencing discrimination (OR = 1.22), while economic stability (OR = 0.38) was linked to structural barriers. For transnational healthcare utilisation, no overall predictors were identified; however, experiences of discrimination strongly predicted transnational dental (OR = 1.40) and specialist service use (OR = 1.50), highlighting the impact of social inequities on healthcare utilisation among Asian migrants in New Zealand. Addressing these disparities requires targeted interventions, including enforcing anti-discrimination policies, promoting cultural competency in healthcare, and enhancing economic stability through subsidised healthcare and employment support. Community engagement initiatives can also empower migrants and reduce reliance on transnational services. These strategies aim to foster equity, mitigate discrimination's effects, and improve healthcare access and well-being for migrant communities.</strong></p>