Health care utilization and health-related quality of life perception in older adults: a study of the Mexican Social Security Institute

Abstract

ResumenObjetivo. Determinar cómo distintos patrones de utilización de servicios están asociados con calidad de vida relacionada a la salud (CVRS) de adultos mayores. Material y métodos. Estudio transversal en adultos de 60 años y mayores con muestra aleatoria de 1 150 derechohabientes del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS) en la Ciudad de México en 2003. El uso de los servicios se clasificó en preventivos y curativos, lo que generó seis perfiles de utilización de servicios. La CVRS se midió con el SF-36. Para evaluar la asociación del uso de servicios con CVRS se realizaron análisis de varianza y regresión lineal múltiple. Resultados. La utilización de servicios preventivos y curativos muestra una asociación positiva con CVRS. Los perfiles en que predominan servicios preventivos tienen una asociación positiva más fuerte con escalas de CVRS. Conclusiones. Este estudio sugiere una asociación positiva de los perfiles de uso de servicios predominantemente preventivos con una mejor percepción de CVRS en adultos mayores.Palabras clave: utilización; servicios preventivos de salud/utilización; salud del anciano; calidad de vida; México AbstractObjective. To establish how health care service utilization patterns are associated with health-related quality of life (HRQL) perception in older adults. Material and Methods.A cross-sectional study in adults aged 60 years or more was conducted in a random sample of 1 150 beneficiaries of the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) in Mexico City during 2003. Health care services utilization was categorized as preventive or curative, which generated six usage profiles. HRQL was measured by means of the SF-36 questionnaire. Analyses of variance and multiple linear regressions were conducted to evaluate the relationship between health care services utilization and HRQL. Results. The use of preventive and curative services has a positive association with HRQL levels. Usage profiles with a prevalence of preventive services have a stronger positive association with HRQL scales. Conclusions. This study suggests a positive association between use patterns for primarily preventive health care services and a better HRQL perception among older adults.

Factors Associated With the Overuse or Underuse of Health Care Services Among Medical Aid Beneficiaries in Korea

“…A previous study reported that preventive service utilization was associated with better HRQoL perception among Mexicans (Gallegos-Carrillo et al, 2008), and another longitudinal study found that those with lower HRQoL scores were more likely to be hospitalized, use outpatient services, and take sick leave (Matsumura, Bito, & Fukuhara, 2000). As the Korean medical aid program reimburses mostly curative services, rather than preventive services, a negative correlation was yielded between health care service utilization and HRQoL in this study, as also noted by Matsumura et al (2000).…”

Factors associated with quality of life in older adults in the United States

“…Moreover, lower ADL function, depression, and memory problems have been linked to poorer QOL [15, 18–20]. Finally, health behaviors such as physical activity and health care utilization have been associated with QOL [21–25]. However, the relationship between health care utilization and QOL has varied.…”

“…However, the relationship between health care utilization and QOL has varied. Less use of health care services was associated with better QOL in asthma patients and female veterans, but for male veterans and health care services obtained specifically for preventive services, QOL was worse [23–25]. …”

Health-Related Quality of Life and Healthcare Resource Utilization in Taiwanese Women With Menopausal Symptoms

“…In addition to HT, Taiwanese women with menopausal symptoms may take prescribed medications or traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to alleviate related symptoms (Yang, Chen, Wang, Lee, & Lai, 2009). It has also been suggested that women who experience menopausal symptoms, chronic disease, and aging may have decreased HRQOL and may increase their use of preventive/curative care (Gallegos-Carrillo et al, 2008;Owens, 2008). It is thus of interest to elicit the likelihood of HRQOL and healthcare resource utilization in women with menopausal symptoms in comparison with those without menopausal symptoms.…”

“…It is thus of interest to elicit the likelihood of HRQOL and healthcare resource utilization in women with menopausal symptoms in comparison with those without menopausal symptoms. Common indicators of healthcare resource utilization include hospitalization, emergency room (ER), and outpatient department (OPD) services (Desikan et al, 2002;Gallegos-Carrillo et al, 2008).…”