Determinant factors of non-attendance to medical Appointments: a mixed-methods approach

Abstract

This study analyzes the determinant factors of non-attendance to medical appointments through a mixed-methods approach. A survey was conducted with 200 patients, supplemented by semi-structured interviews to delve deeper into the reasons behind absenteeism. The logistic regression analysis results showed that transportation problems and long waiting times for appointments are the main factors influencing non-attendance. Variables such as age, gender, forgetting the appointment, work-related reasons, dissatisfaction with medical care, improvement in health status, and education level were not significant predictors. The study's limitations include the small sample size and the lack of consideration of patients by treatment type. Future research should focus on increasing the sample size and conducting longitudinal studies to evaluate the effectiveness of specific interventions.