Respondents were asked about the frequency with which they visit a healthcare provider. Figure 6 illustrates that few Yemeni women and men visit a healthcare provider for yearly, preventative check-ups. Further, women are more likely to wait until their health condition is very serious before visiting a healthcare provider, while men are more likely to visit a healthcare provider when they feel unwell (62% and 45% respectively). Rural women are more likely overall to only visit a healthcare provider when they are very ill or in times of an emergency. Women living in urban areas visit a healthcare provider at rates similar to those of men: 47% of urban women report visiting a healthcare provider when they feel unwell (Figure 6).

Yemeni respondents were asked if they consulted a healthcare provider the last time they were ill. Men and women consulted a healthcare provider at almost identical rates – 67% of men and 66% of women (Figure 7). Women’s responses remained fairly similar across education, type of area, and household income. Despite that 47% of rural women report that medical care in their area is completely lacking (Figure 5), and only 26% visit a healthcare provider when they feel unwell (Figure 6), the majority of rural women (63%) consulted a healthcare provider the last time they were ill (not shown).

When asked for a reason why they did not see a healthcare provider last time they were ill, the top five reasons were the same for women and men although they ranked them differently (Table 1). Among respondents not seeking care, the most common answer for women (36%) and many men (24%) was that their last illness was not serious enough to require medical attention. Men were most likely to self-medicate themselves for symptom relief (26%). Women are slightly more likely than men to mention cost barriers (20% v. 17%) or travel barriers (10% v. 8%).