Views: 1,285 | Downloads:
23
| Responses: 0
| XML | Respond to this article | Alert & updates | Request permissions | Email to a friend |
Original ArticleOpen Access
Factors Associated with State Hospital Utilisation among Thai Elderly who had Illnesses which Needed Hospitalisation
Jitapunkul S 
,
Songkhla MN ,
Chayovan N ,
Chirawatkul A ,
Choprapawon C ,
Kachondham Y ,
Buasai S
,
Songkhla MN ,
Chayovan N ,
Chirawatkul A ,
Choprapawon C ,
Kachondham Y ,
Buasai S Of the 4,480 elderly subjects in a multistage random sampling household survey of a
National Survey of the Welfare of the Elderly in Thailand (SWET), 669 (14.9%) reported that
they had been hospitalised during the last year and were recruited in an analysis which aimed to
examine associated factors of state hospital utilisation among Thai elderly. Seventy eight per
cent had been admitted once during the last year. Mean (standard deviation) duration of hospital
stay during the last year was 11.9 (20.1) days. For the last period of hospitalisation, 532 elderly
(79.5%) were admitted to state hospitals. One hundred and nineteen elderlies (17.8%) used private
hospitals. Only 18 elderly (2.3%) used both state and private hospitals. According to the causes
of hospitalisation, the elderly who used state hospitals were not more severely ill than those who
used private hospitals. Nine univariate factors associated with state hospital utilisation were
entered in a logistric regression model in which five independent determinants were identified
including 'do not have electricity', 'heads of the family are not their children', 'do not have own
savings', 'live in rural area', and 'have heard about free health care programme'. The Ministry of
Public Health and organisations which are concerned with the elderly should allocate more
resources to advertising a free health care programme for Thai elderly.
National Survey of the Welfare of the Elderly in Thailand (SWET), 669 (14.9%) reported that
they had been hospitalised during the last year and were recruited in an analysis which aimed to
examine associated factors of state hospital utilisation among Thai elderly. Seventy eight per
cent had been admitted once during the last year. Mean (standard deviation) duration of hospital
stay during the last year was 11.9 (20.1) days. For the last period of hospitalisation, 532 elderly
(79.5%) were admitted to state hospitals. One hundred and nineteen elderlies (17.8%) used private
hospitals. Only 18 elderly (2.3%) used both state and private hospitals. According to the causes
of hospitalisation, the elderly who used state hospitals were not more severely ill than those who
used private hospitals. Nine univariate factors associated with state hospital utilisation were
entered in a logistric regression model in which five independent determinants were identified
including 'do not have electricity', 'heads of the family are not their children', 'do not have own
savings', 'live in rural area', and 'have heard about free health care programme'. The Ministry of
Public Health and organisations which are concerned with the elderly should allocate more
resources to advertising a free health care programme for Thai elderly.
Download:
PDF