Treatment for the arthristis is mostly on the out-patient basis. The present rheumatologists practicing in Korea do not cover the total number of the patients. Also patients with arthritis need medical treatment for long period of time. Therefore, the number of patients waiting for the treatment is huge in number. This vicious cycle need to be broken in some way.
Purpose of this study is to identify the need for home care of the arthritic patients.
Nineteen hundred and sixty two subjects were interviewed in one hospital for one month.
The following findings were observed:
1. The rates for demanding home care were from 60% to 100% depending on the areas.
2. Reasons for no need of home care were mainly credibility and short distance from the hospital.
3. Time spent for one way transportation was more than 3.3 hours except from Seoul and Kyungki area. The longer they spend time for transportation, the more they want home care services.
4. The number of patients who asked other persons to travel for prescription was 446(22.73%) and average number was 3.26 per year in those 446 cases.
5. Average expenses for transportation and other cost for each time of hospital visit were 21,073won ranged from 8,373 won to 132,571 won. The more spend money for visiting the hospital, the more they want home care services.
In order to reduce the physical and economical burdon of the arthritic patients living in remote areas, hospital-based home care services are justified on the bases of patients´ demand and legislative support.
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