Health care utilization in the elderly Mexican population: Expenditures and determinants

Abstract

BackgroundWorldwide population aging has been considered one of the most important demographic phenomena, and is frequently referred as a determinant of health costs and expenditures. These costs are an effect either of the aging process itself (social) or because of the increase that comes with older age (individual).ObjectiveTo analyze health expenditures and its determinants in a sample of Mexican population, for three dimensions acute morbidity, ambulatory care and hospitalization focusing on different age groups, particularly the elderly.MethodsA secondary analysis of the Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey (ENSANUT), 2006 was conducted. A descriptive analysis was performed to establish a health profile by socio-demographic characteristics. Logistic regression models were estimated to determine the relation between acute morbidity, ambulatory care, hospitalization and age group; to establish the determinants of hospitalization among the population 60 years and older; and to determine hospitalization expenditures by age.ResultsHigher proportion of elderly reporting health problems was found. Average expenditures of hospitalization in households were $240.6 am dlls, whereas in households exclusively with elderly the expenditure was $308.9 am dlls, the highest among the considered age groups. The multivariate analysis showed higher probability of being hospitalized among the elderly, but not for risks for acute morbidity and ambulatory care. Among the elderly, older age, being male or living in a city or in a metro area implied a higher probability of hospitalization during the last year, with chronic diseases playing a key role in hospitalization.ConclusionsThe conditions associated with age, such as chronic diseases, have higher weight than age itself; therefore, they are responsible for the higher expenditures reported. Conclusions point towards a differentiated use and intensity of health services depending on age. The projected increase in hospitalization and health care needs for this group requires immediate attention.

Determinants of Health Service Utilization among Older Adults in Bedele Town,Illubabor Zone, Ethiopia

“…That means in this study more than half of respondents 62.3% were in 60-69 age group which was nearly similar with the study done in North Dakota 50% [16].…”

“…On the other hand, of all the elderly women only 4.6% had secondary education, 15.3% had primary education and 80.1% had no formal education. None of the elderly women had tertiary level of education and proportion of the respondents 35% was widowed, around 8.4% respondents lived alone and about 38% of respondents reported that they had difficulty in at least one activity in daily living [7,16,17].…”

Utilization of health care services by elderly people with National Health Insurance in Taiwan: The heterogeneous health profile approach

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Prevalence of disability and associated factors in the elderly

“…[9][10][11] This fact strengthens the potential to generalize the results presented here and, similarly, permits further knowledge on functional capacity in hardly distinguished social and demographic contexts.…”

“…[6][7][8] In this research, the characteristics of the place of study are similar to severe Latin American cities with between 200 and 400 thousand inhabitants, implying the generalizability of the results, keeping in mind the social and economic differences. [9][10][11] In addition, the health conditions should be continuously monitored to support permanent health promotion policies.…”