This study documents different patterns of health care utilization among
ethnic groups on the Thailand-Myanmar border area, and examines the extent to which
characteristics of each ethnic group were associated with health care use. Results of
univariate analysis show substantial difference in utilization of health care service
among the three ethnic groups, with respondents of the ethnic Thai being better-off and
those of the foreign-born minority being worst-off while the native-born minority
respondents fell somewhere in between these two ethnic groups. The difference,
according to results of univariate analysis, was understood in terms of different
characteristics, especially the needs for health care, enabling factors and predisposing
factors specific to individuals of these ethnic groups.