|
KMID : 0379220190390030467
|
|
Journal of Korea Gerontological Society
2019 Volume.39 No. 3 p.467 ~ p.484
|
|
|
Predictors of Latent Class of Longitudinal Medical Expenses of Older People and the Effects on Subjective Health
|
|
Song Si-Young
Jue Mihn-Sook
Choi Bom-I
|
|
|
Abstract
|
|
|
|
The purpose of this study is to explore latent classes of longitudinal medical expenses of older people and to analyze its predictors and its effects on subjective health. Among participants of the Korean Health Panel, the sample of this study includes 1,119 people who is 65-year-old or older and reported their medical expenses for nine consecutive years. The analyses were conducted in three steps. First, Growth Mixture Model (GMM) was applied to find distinct subgroups showing similar patterns in medical expenses. The results showed four groups which were classified as high medical expenditure maintenance group, medical expenditure increase group, low medical expenditure maintenance group, and medical expenditure reduction group. Second, the multinominal logistic regression found that the presence of spouse, economic participation, the number of chronic diseases, and the type of health insurance were significant predictors of latent classes in medical expenses. In particular, the greater the number of chronic diseases, the higher the likelihood of belonging to the high medical expenditure maintenance group. In addition, medical benefit recipients are more likely to belong to the low medical cost maintenance and medical cost reduction groups. Third, multiple regression analysis revealed that the older people in the groups with low or reducing expenses reported better subjective health than people with higher expenses. This study has its meanings in exploring the heterogeneity in longitudinal medical expenses among older people and its predictors and its associations with health outcome. The results of this research provide background information in establishing public health policy for older people.
|
|
|
KEYWORD
|
|
|
Medical Expenses, Longitudinal Pattern, Growth Mixture Model, Subjective Health, Korean Health Panel
|
|
|
FullTexts / Linksout information
|
|
|
|
|
|
Listed journal information
|
|
|
|