Table 6 Poisson regression models on predictors of healthcare utilization among informal caregivers of older adults

Health Beliefs variables

Perceived susceptibility to a health problem

1.069 [1.054–1.083]***

0.067

1.061[1.047–1.076]***

0.059

1. 053 [1.038–1.068]***

0.051

1.056 [1.041–1.071]***

0.054

Perceived severity of a health problem

0.963 [0.949-0.979]***

− 0.038

0.965[0.951–0.978]***

− 0.036

0.966 [0.953–0.980]***

− 0.034

0.961 [0.947-0.975]***

− 0.040

Perceived benefits of care-seeking

1.023 [1.002–1.045]*

0.023

1.019[0.998–1.040]

0.018

1.017 [0.996–1.038]

0.017

1.003[0.982-1.025]

0.003

Perceived barriers to care-seeking

0.980 [0.961-0.998]*

− 0.021

0.976[0.957–0.994]*

− 0.025

0.981 [0.962–0.999]*

− 0.020

0.986 [0.967-1.005]

− 0.014

Cues to action

1.066 [1.032-1.100]***

0.064

1.066[1.033–1.101]***

0.064

1.060 [1.027–1.095]***

0.058

1.079[1.044–1.114]***

0.076

Self-efficacy

1.035[1.006–1.066]*

0.035

1.033[1.004–1.064]*

0.033

1.033 [1.003–1.063]*

0.032

1.043[1.013–1.074]**

0.042

Demographic variables

Place of Residence of caregivers

Rural

1.007 [0.946–1.071]

0.007

1.001 [0.940–1.067]

0.001

1.030[0.967-1.098]

0.030

Urban (ref)

1.00

1.00

1.00

Age (years) of caregivers

18–24

0.626[0.530–0.740]***

− 0.468

0.630 [0.531–0.748]***

− 0.462

0.737[0.620-0.877]***

− 0.305

25–34

0.661[0.576–0.759]***

− 0.414

0.657 [0.570–0.757]***

− 0.421

0.725[0.628-0.837]***

− 0.321

35–44

0.750[0.657–0.855]***

− 0.288

0.730 [0.637–0.835]***

− 0.315

0.794[0.693-0.910]***

− 0.231

45–54

0.783[0.685–0.894]***

− 0.245

0.769 [0.671–0.881]***

− 0.263

0.801[0.699-0.917]***

− 0.222

55–64

0.822[0.710–0.953]**

− 0.196

0.817 [0.705–0.947]**

− 0.202

0.835[0.720-0.968]*

− 0.181

65 or above(ref)

1.00

1.00

1.00

Gender of caregivers

Male

0.935 [0.869–1.005]

− 0.067

0.967 [0.897–1.043]

− 0.033

0.942 [0.873-1.016]

− 0.060

Female (ref)

1.00

1.00

1.00

Marital status of caregivers

Never married

0.911[0.811–1.024]

− 0.093

0.923[0.821–1.038]

− 0.080

0.927[0.824-1.042]

− 0.076

Currently married

0.968[0.887–1.056]

− 0.033

0.958 [0.877–1.046]

− 0.043

0.981[0.898-1.072]

− 0.019

Separated/widowed/ divorced (ref)

1.00

1.00

1.00

Socio-economic variables

Education level of caregivers

No formal education

1.132[1.013–1.264]*

0.124

1.075[0.962-1.201

0.072

Primary education

1.135[0.989–1.303]

0.127

1.070[0.931-1.228]

0.067

Junior high School

1.189[1.067–1.325]**

0.173

1.132[1.015–1.262]*

0.124

Senior high school

1.060[0.949–1.185]

0.059

1.034[0.926-1.156]

0.034

Tertiary Education (ref)

1.00

1.00

Employment Status of caregivers

Unemployed

0.929 [0.862-1.000]

− 0.074

0.916[0.850-0.986]*

− 0.088

Employed

1.00

1.00

Income (GH¢) of caregivers

Less than 1000

1.081[0.955–1.223]

0.078

1.071[0.946-1.212]

0.068

1000–1999

0.993 [0.863–1.142]

− 0.007

1.005[0.873-1.157]

0.005

2000 or above

1.00

1.00

Health insurance enrollment of caregivers

No

859[0.790–0.933]***

− 0.152

0.841[0.774-0.913]***

− 0.174

Yes

1.00

1.00

Health-related variable

Self-rated health of caregivers

Very poor/poor

1.738[1.396–2.163]***

0.553

Fair

1.683[1.438–1.969]***

0.521

Good

1.584[1.438–1.745)***

0.460

Very good

1.353[1.246–1.470]***

0.302

Excellent (ref)

1.00

Model Fitness

Likelihood Ratio Chi-Square

(p-value)

226.586 (0.000)

307.589 (0.000)

338.540 (0.000)

447.120 (0.000)

Wald Chi-Square

(p-value)

12.314 (< 0.001)

7.073 (0.008)

6.460 (0.011)

9.324 (0.002)