Socioeconomic Factors Affecting the Use of Home Health Care Using Nationwide Receipt Data

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K21111
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0908:Society medicine, nursing, and related fields
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: Amemiya Airi 京都大学, 医学研究科, 研究員 (70728394)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-08-30 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 高齢者

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study is to identify highly important objective indicators of individual socioeconomic factors (income, etc.) that influence the selection and use of home health care. Specifically, we utilized highly complete national receipt data (medical fee statements) to clarify the interrelationship between the use of home health care and individual income for all ages, and to identify regional factors that influence the use of home health care. A multilevel analysis that considered multiple regional levels and individual strata was used for these analyses. This study plans to generate evidence that will contribute to the efficient and equitable dissemination of home health care, taking into account the socioeconomic status of individuals, and contributed to the basic data that will lead to the formulation of policies to correct health disparities among the elderly.

Free Research Field

社会疫学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

協会けんぽのレセプトデータを用いて、訪問診療を受けた人を対象として、地域の社会経済的状況と個人の訪問看護の利用の関連を調べることを目的とした。訪問診療を受けた人のうち40％が訪問看護を利用しており、その割合は市町村で異なっていた。人口密度が最も低い市町村、平均年間世帯収入が最も低い市町村、教育達成度が最も低い市町村、就業率が最も低い市町村では、それぞれ最も高い市町村に比べて訪問看護を利用している人が少なかった。社会経済的に不利な地域では訪問看護を利用しづらい可能性がある。国や自治体が在宅ケアを推進するにあたり、地域の社会経済的背景などの特性に応じた、訪問看護の普及を目指す必要がある。