Abstract: Objective: To investigate the characteristics of healthcare-seeking behavior and treatment status of patients with recurrent aphthous ulcer (RAU). Methods: A field survey was conducted on 300 RAU patients seeking medical care at the Department of Stomatology, the 940th Hospital of Joint Logistics Support Force of Chinese PLA, from May 2023 to January 2025. The survey included patient classification, initial healthcare-seeking behavior, and treatment conditions. Results: The patients predominantly chose primary healthcare institutions for their first visit, and this choice was significantly influenced by their place of residence and ABC classification (P<0.0001). In terms of treatment approaches, top-tier specialty hospitals typically adopt more standardized treatment protocols based on RAU ABC classification, whereas primary healthcare institutions employ diverse treatment methods, with a risk of antibiotic misuse. Furthermore, the study revealed the significant impact of ABC classification on treatment strategies (P=0.007). Conclusion: The healthcare-seeking behavior of RAU patients is significantly influenced by residence and ABC classification. Primary healthcare institutions play an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of RAU, but lack sufficient treatment standardization, with widespread inappropriate antibiotic use. It is recommended to strengthen standardized training on RAU diagnosis and treatment in primary healthcare institutions and establish a regional referral mechanism to improve treatment quality and patient medication safety.

Key words: recurrent aphthous ulcer, ABC classification, clinical classification, health care seeking behavior, treatment status