Factors influencing consumer purchase decisions for health-promoting goods and services in Malaysia

• Main Author: Cheah, Yong Kang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia 2014
• Subjects: HF Commerce; RA Public aspects of medicine
• Online Access: http://repo.uum.edu.my/17323/1/mjms-21-6-036.pdf; http://repo.uum.edu.my/17323/; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4391453/
• Institution: Universiti Utara Malaysia

Background: In the context of global increases in the prevalence of non-communicable diseases,the objective of the present study is to investigate the factors affecting individuals’ decisions to use health-promoting goods and services. Methods: The Third National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS III), consisting of 30992 respondents, was analysed. The Pearson chi-square test was applied to compare the distribution of categorical variables.A binary logistic regression model was used to assess the likelihood of using health-promoting goods and services. Results: Age, income, gender, ethnicity, education, marital status, location of residence, job characteristics, and being diagnosed with hypercholesterolemia were significantly associated with use of health-promoting goods and services. In contrast, young individuals, low income earners, males, Indians and others, the less-educated, single individuals, rural dwellers, the unemployed and individuals with hypercholesterolemia were less likely to use health-promoting goods and services than others. Conclusion: Socio-demographic and health factors played an important role in affecting the use of health-promoting goods and services.Based on these factors, several intervention measures with the intent of increasing the use of health-promoting goods and services were suggested, if only applicable to Malaysians.