ASSESSMENT OF CRITERIA FOR CHOOSING DERMATOVENEREOLOGIST CONSULTATIONS IN EASTERN AUKŠTAITIJA

Abstract

The aim of the study - to determine which criteria adult residents of Eastern Aukštaitija consider most important when choosing a dermatovenereologist consultation and to assess their perceptions of the accessibility of these services across different municipalities of the region.

Materials and Methods. A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted from September to December 2025, anonymously surveying 825 adult residents of Eastern Aukštaitija. Data were collected using a non-standartized questionnaire assessing the importance of criteria for choosing a dermatovenereologist consultation based on a 10-point Likert-type scale. Respondents were also asked whether they had attended a dermatovenereologist consultation during the previous 12 months and about their opinion on service accessibility in their municipality. Statistical analysis was performed using Microsoft 365 Excel and R Commander 2.9.5, applying descriptive and comparative statistics, with a significance level of p < 0.05.

Results. The highest-rated criteria were the possibility of receiving a consultation reimbursed by the Compulsory Health Insurance Fund, the availability of diagnostic tests in the same institution, and a short waiting time, with all three reaching a median score of 10. Consultation availability within one’s own city or district and the physician’s experience and qualifications were also important. The least important criteria were the physician’s activity on social media and having a physician of the same sex as the respondent. More than one-third of respondents (37.5%) indicated that they had consulted a dermatovenereologist at least once during the 12 months before completing the questionnaire, 60.0% had not done so during that period, and 2.5% could not answer. Across municipalities, the overall structure of criterion importance was largely similar, although perceptions of service accessibility differed significantly. In the overall study sample, negative evaluations of accessibility predominated, with the most unfavorable assessments reported in Molėtai and Švenčionys municipalities, and more favorable assessments in Ignalina and Visaginas.

Conclusions. The choice of a dermatovenereologist consultation among residents of Eastern Aukštaitija is primarily shaped by practical accessibility factors, particularly financial, organizational, and geographic access to services. Although residents’ priorities are similar across municipalities, their perceptions of dermatovenereological service accessibility differ, suggesting that the main issue in the region may lie not in differing patient expectations but in unequal service accessibility between municipalities, which requires further objective investigation.