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KMID : 0904520200540010113
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Health and Medical Sociology
2020 Volume.54 No. 1 p.113 ~ p.137
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Healthcare utilization in elderly living alone with chronic diseases: the roles of age and gender
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Choe Eun-hee
Byeon Jin-Ok
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Abstract
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This study examined health care use in major chronic diseases among the elderly living alone and those living with others, by establishing the data set of the elder population living alone from the national health insurance database.
The number of average hospitalization days and medical fees was slightly higher compared to those living with others, while the number of average hospitalization days for elderly women living alone was considerably higher than that of those living alone, In particular, for the elderly aged 75 and more, the length of the average hospital stay was shorter with a 17% difference in neurological disorders and diabetes, cerebral blood vessels. The number of average hospitalization days for the women with chronic diseases was longer than men whether or not they were living alone, in the older age groups (85 years and more).
This study will contribute a rich understanding of health care utilization amongst the elderly living alone although the results of this study do not provide an explanation for the factors of health care utilization for those living alone.
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KEYWORD
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elderly living alone, women living alone, medical utilization, chronic disease
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