Changes in the relationship between economic burden and utilization of rehabilitation services over time

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K12996
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 08020:Social welfare-related
• Research Institution: Ibaraki Prefectural University of Health Science
• Principal Investigator: Matsuda Tomoyuki 茨城県立医療大学, 保健医療学部, 准教授 (10523475)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 高齢者福祉 / 経済的負担感 / リハビリテーション

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study aimed to understand the chronological changes in the relationship between the economic burden of the elderly and the utilization of rehabilitation services (outpatient and home-visit rehabilitation).　Therefore, we analyzed the relationship between the economic burden of the elderly and the use of rehabilitation services in 2017 and 2020, before and after the introduction (in 2018) of an increase in the user contribution rate based on income status. The analysis was conducted using a questionnaire survey on the welfare planning for the elderly. The results showed that those who were comfortable with economic burden were more likely to use rehabilitation services in 2017. On the other hand, the proportion of users increased regardless of their sense of economic burden, and correlation with economic comfort weakened in 2020.

Free Research Field

介護保険制度

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

2017年から2020年の推移において、2018年に利用者負担割合の引き上げが導入されたが、リハビリテーションサービス利用者割合は増加し、さらに、リハビリテーションサービスの利用と経済的ゆとりの相関が弱まっていた。そのため、リハビリテーションサービスが、経済状況による利用格差が縮まった可能性があり、経済状況に関わらず利用可能なサービスに推移した可能性が示唆された。