| Project/Area Number |
17590542
|
|---|
| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
|
| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
|---|
| Section | 一般 |
|---|
| Research Field |
Public health/Health science
|
|---|
| Research Institution | Okayama University of Science |
|---|
Principal Investigator |
SEKI Akihiko Okayama University of Science, Faculty of Science, Associate Professor, 理学部, 助教授 (20314685)
|
|---|
| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
ITO Takehiko Okayama University, Faculty of Education, Associate Professor, 教育学部, 助教授 (10291973)
TAKIGAWA Tomoko Okayama University, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Parmaceutical Sciences, Research Associate, 大学院医歯薬学総合研究科, 助手 (90403493)
|
|---|
| Project Period (FY) |
2005 – 2006
|
| Project Status |
Completed (Fiscal Year 2006)
|
| Budget Amount *help |
¥2,200,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,200,000)
Fiscal Year 2006: ¥700,000 (Direct Cost: ¥700,000)
Fiscal Year 2005: ¥1,500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,500,000)
|
|---|
| Keywords | social medicine / medical care and welfare / distribution of medical facilities / aged people / community medicine / 医療・福祉 / 臨床 |
|---|
| Research Abstract |
1. The geographical distribution of medical facilities that provide ophthalmologic or otolaryngologic care
The geographical distribution of medical facilities that provide ophthalmologic or otolaryngologic care was visualized using GIS. These facilities were unevenly distributed generally dense in urban areas.
2. Medical care provided in the medical facilities under research
The care provided in the hospitals in rural areas was somewhat restricted, e.g. outpatient clinic not open daily, no surgical operation provided. The restrictions seemed to deteriorate the regional difference in the care provided.
3. Visits of elderly to the medical facilities in rural areas and difficulties they feel
Percentage of people who visited the facilities by car was larger in rural areas than urban areas. Those who were not able to drive by themselves had no choice but to ask somebody to take them to the medical facilities by car, or to use public transportation system, which is not necessarily convenient in r
… More
ural areas. The data suggested that the difficulties in transportation added restriction to frequent visit to the medical facilities.
4. The problems pointed out by ophthalmologists or otolaryngologists
Many ophthalmologists or otolaryngologists felt that patients must travel a long distance before they could get to their medical facilities, which might restrict the patients' visit to them. Some of these physicians had pointed out that the situation might lead to delayed diagnosis or prolonged therapy.
We have verified that maintenance of medical facilities in rural areas was difficult in terms of economy. Together with less availability of employed doctors in rural areas, ophthalmologic or otolaryngologic care has been suspended.
5. Conclusion
The present study revealed that sociomedical issues specific to under populated area were apparent in the specialties of ophthalmology and otolaryngology. Considering the underlying cause of the problem, we supposed that similar phenomena prevailed in other specialized medical care. Less
|
