Determinants of Preventive Services Utilization in Rural Older Women

Research describing preventive services utilization and determinants of preventive services utilization for rural older women is scant. The purpose of this study was to: (a) describe the prevalence of preventive services utilization in compliance with the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendations for screening, counseling, and immunizations among rural older women in four Nebraska counties and (b) determine the extent to which personal influences (e.g., demographics, definition of health, perceived health status) and contextual influences (e.g., access to care, sources of health information, provider recommendations) explain preventive services utilization among those women. A sample of 102 community-dwelling rural women age 65 and older participated in the study. The prevalence of receipt of USPSTF-recommended preventive services utilization among these rural women was alarmingly low. Multiple regression analyses revealed that provider recommendations, access to care, sources of health information, and perceived health status were significantly associated with preventive services utilization. These findings provide information that is relevant in designing interventions to increase preventive services utilization among rural older women.