Patterns of Health and Social Services Utilization

1989 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
François Béland
Keyword(s):  
Health Status ◽  
Social Services ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Support Network ◽  
Pension Scheme ◽  
Small Subset ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Services Utilization ◽  
Health And Social Services ◽  
Two Samples

ABSTRACTUtilization of an array of health and social services from formal and informal sources is studied here 1) to identify profiles of services utilization and 2) to predict the location of elderly in these profiles by a set of independent variables such as the sociodemographic characteristics of the elderly, their physical and mental health status and the density of their social support network. Two samples of non-institutionalized elderly living in two middle-sized towns were drawn from the universal old-age Canadian pension scheme. Their utilization of hospital, medical and pharmaceutical services was assessed, and their use of services for help with adivities of daily living was measured by a set of six indicators. A cluster analysis was run to identify profites of services utilization, and a discriminant analysis used the profiles as the criterion to be predicted by a set of variables. Five profiles of utilization were obtained; four of them identified elderly with very few experiences of services utilization and a fifth, a low number of elderly with utilization of all of the services listed in this study. Most of the elderly were users of a small subset of medical and social services. The location of elderly in the profiles was predicted by physical health status, coresidence and income. These results show that health and social services from both formal and informal sources are utilized by elderly. It is suggested that new types of formal agencies which consider the simultaneous delivery of social and health services will succeed inasmuch as they have the ability to interact with a system of informal care.

Examining the needs of persons experiencing homelessness: Bringing the voice of lived experience to policy priorities

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-31
Author(s):  
Elise Smith ◽  
Piper Moore ◽  
Sarah Canham
Keyword(s):  
Lived Experience ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Salt Lake ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Basic Needs ◽  
Federal State ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Health And Social Services ◽  
State And Local ◽  
Services And Supports

Policy related to homelessness varies across federal, state, and local levels influencing access to health and social services among persons experiencing homelessness. With a diversity of community stakeholders comes a diversity of ideas about which health and social services to provide and prioritize. Despite the unique insights PEH are able to offer on their own situations, their voices often remain excluded from research and policy. The aim of the current study was to identify the basic needs and health and social service priorities of PEH, to incorporate these voices into policy decisions and prioritization. Fifteen participants age 18 and older who had any experience of homelessness in Salt Lake Countyparticipated in in-depth qualitative interviews between February and March 2020. Open-ended questions enabled the interviews to naturally progress and focus on what was most relevant to participants and their experience. Data were categorized into the services and supports identified as the most needed by PEH and to help lift people out of homelessness: 1) Housing and shelter, 2) Income and employment, 3) Transportation, 4) Food, 5) Physical and mental health services, and 6) Social support. We describe the needs, challenges, and solutions as identified and narrated by study participants. Findings offer critical insight into how the homelessness crisis should be approached by policymakers as the ways in which PEH understand and utilize the system of available resources and supports must align with their abilities and realities. Without these in-depth discussions with PEH about how they understand and meet their basic needs, there will be ongoing gaps in service delivery and mismatches in the attempts made to serve this population.

Social Support and Well-Being: Preliminary Indicators Based on Two Samples of the Elderly

1986 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary J. Levitt ◽  
Toni C. Antonucci ◽  
M. Cherie Clark ◽  
James Rotton ◽  
Gordon E. Finley
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
National Sample ◽  
Network Size ◽  
Support Network ◽  
Geographic Proximity ◽  
Supportive Relationships ◽  
Two Samples

The structure of social support and its relation to health, affect, and life satisfaction are compared for two samples of the elderly. The first is a national representative sample; the second is a distressed sample from South Miami Beach. Although there are similarities in the structure of social support across the two groups, those in the Miami Beach sample report fewer support figures, and far fewer within geographic proximity, than do those in the national sample. This comparative network impoverishment is particularly marked for male respondents and is accentuated by a high number of isolates in this group. In addition, stronger relationships are found between support network size and affect, and among affect, life satisfaction, and health in the South Miami Beach sample. Older men in poor health and without supportive relationships are targeted as a particularly high risk subgroup. The discussion includes a focus on personal, situational, and life span differences related to variations in support and well-being and a consideration of implications for more recent waves of elderly sun-belt migrants.

scholarly journals Healthy Ageing in Place: Enablers and Barriers from the Perspective of the Elderly. A Qualitative Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (18) ◽  
pp. 6451
Author(s):  
Cristina Bosch-Farré ◽  
Maria Carmen Malagón-Aguilera ◽  
David Ballester-Ferrando ◽  
Carme Bertran-Noguer ◽  
Anna Bonmatí-Tomàs ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Elderly People ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Family Environment ◽  
Financial Stability ◽  
Life Quality ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Healthy Ageing ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Ageing In Place ◽  
Generic Qualitative

Background: Most elderly people wish to grow old at their own homes. The sociodemographic characteristics; home and neighbourhood conditions; and the social services support and networks are determinants in the possibility of “ageing in place”. The present study aimed to explore the ageing in place phenomenon, as well as the enablers and barriers that interact in a healthy ageing from the perspective of the elderly connected to local entities. Methods: A generic qualitative design was proposed in the Health Region of Girona in Catalonia (Spain). Seventy-one elderly people were purposefully selected. Six focus groups were conducted, and data were thematically analysed. Results: Three key themes were generated: (1) Participants experienced ageing differently. The physical and mental health, the family environment and financial stability were key elements for life quality. (2) The perception of the elderly’s role in the community depended on their age, health status and attitude towards life. (3) The participants identified several enablers and barriers to healthy ageing in place. Conclusions: The promotion of older people’s autonomy and wellbeing, together with the creation of an active network of health and social services, may improve the possibility for elderly to age at home and avoid or delay institutionalisation.

scholarly journals The Psychogeriatric Panel: A Health and Social Services Partnership

1982 ◽  
Vol 6 (7) ◽  
pp. 114-115
Author(s):  
B. Warwick Durrant
Keyword(s):  
Health Service ◽  
Social Services ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Multiprofessional Team ◽  
Health And Social Services

Any service designed to meet the needs of the elderly must necessarily embrace a wide diversity of personnel and facilities. Not only is a multiprofessional team imperative, but such resources as are available—whether in the Health Service or personal Social Services—must be used in the full.

Is longer waiting time associated with health and social services utilization before treatment? A randomized study

2007 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 209-214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johanna Hirvonen ◽  
Marja Blom ◽  
Ulla Tuominen ◽  
Seppo Seitsalo ◽  
Matti Lehto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Services ◽  
Informal Care ◽  
Home Health Care ◽  
Waiting Time ◽  
Joint Replacement ◽  
Randomized Study ◽  
Utilization Rate ◽  
Services Utilization ◽  
Health And Social Services ◽  
Joint Replacement Surgery

Objective: To determine whether longer waiting time for major joint replacement is associated with health and social services utilization before treatment. Methods: When placed on the waiting list, patients were randomized to short (≤3 months) or a non-fixed waiting time. Utilization measures were the use of home health care, rehabilitation and social services before treatment. Results: A total of 833 patients with osteoarthritis of the hip or knee joint were recruited into the study. Six hundred and twenty-two patients were included in the analysis. The majority of patients were not using any services before hospital admission for joint replacement surgery. The most commonly used service was unpaid home help provided by relatives, neighbours, friends and volunteers (informal care). In both groups, private support services were utilized more often than public ones. Patients with a short waiting time were more likely than those with a non-fixed waiting time to use rehabilitation (13.5% versus 8.2%, P = 0.032) and visiting care services (7.5% versus 3.9%, P = 0.054). Conclusions: Only a few patients used professional care. They were more likely to require informal care during the waiting time. A longer waiting time did not result in a higher utilization rate before admission for treatment.

scholarly journals Evaluation designs of outpatient health centres focusing on vulnerable patient groups

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
R Winkler ◽  
I Reinsperger
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Status ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Complex Interventions ◽  
Health And Social Services ◽  
Vulnerable Patient ◽  
Patient Groups ◽  
Health Institutions ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Homeless and non-insured persons experience worse physical and mental health than comparable populations. Outpatient (public) health institutions, which are easily accessible, contribute considerably to the medical treatment of vulnerable patient groups. Sound evaluation methods, indicators and instruments are necessitated to target patients’ needs and to enable strategic health and social policy planning. Methods We conducted a systematic literature search in several databases (PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO etc.) for studies from 2000 to 2019 reporting on evaluations in outpatient health institutions for homeless and/ or non-insured patients. In addition, we contacted 5 Austrian public health/ research institutions dealing with complex interventions for relevant publications. Results 12 evaluation studies and 7 evaluation reports met our inclusion criteria. Evaluation designs mostly considered various target groups and nearly all assessments pursued a ’mixed-method’ approach. 13 publications assessed socio-demographic data, 11 the use of health and social services and 7 patients’ health status. Further indicators related to ’satisfaction issues’ such as patients’ satisfaction with the provided range of health and social services (n = 7). 6 publications reported on health economic indicators. In total, 7 out of 19 studies reported on evaluation instruments; most instruments (n = 6) were on patients’ mental health status. Conclusions Patients represented the major target group in the included evaluations. There is little research on evaluation indicators directing on health professionals. Evaluations focusing on the intersectional levels (e.g. the impact of health programmes for vulnerable groups on various institutions) are lacking. Key messages Evaluation designs involving ‘hardly to reach populations’ shall consider a ‘participatory assessment approach’ to avoid drop-outs and to create a trustworthy evaluation situation. Hence, evaluation indicators shall be commonly selected and adequately reflect patients’ realities.

Loneliness and Adjustment to Old Age

1987 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert O. Hansson ◽  
Warren H. Jones ◽  
Bruce N. Carpenter ◽  
Jacqueline H. Remondet
Keyword(s):  
Social Services ◽  
Old Age ◽  
Social Relationships ◽  
Stressful Life Event ◽  
Maladaptive Behavior ◽  
Personality Characteristics ◽  
Behavior Patterns ◽  
Personal Support ◽  
Health And Social Services ◽  
Two Samples

Among two samples of older adults, loneliness (measured by the revised UCLA Loneliness Scale) was related to poor psychological adjustment, generally, and to dissatisfaction with family and social relationships. It was also related, however, to fears, expectations, and personality characteristics likely to inhibit the restoration of personal support networks after a stressful life event such as widowhood. Finally, loneliness was associated with maladaptive behavior patterns such as failure to: a) plan for old age, b) engage in rehearsal for widowhood, c) engage in social comparison, or d) learn about available community health and social services.

Factors Affecting the Use of Social and Health Services Among the Elderly

1981 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas T. H. Wan ◽  
Barbara Gill Odell
Keyword(s):  
Social Services ◽  
Psychological Functioning ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Planned Change ◽  
Physician Services ◽  
Dental Services ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Health And Social Services ◽  
Andersen Model ◽  
Factors Influencing

ABSTRACTThis study has systematically examined the use of health and social services among non-institutionalized elderly people according to the Andersen model which groups factors influencing use into predisposing, enabling and need variables. Need for service as evidenced by physical and psychological functioning was the most important predictor of use of physician services and hospitalization. Predisposing factors had the most effect on use of dental services. On the other hand, knowledge of services, an enabling factor, was most relevant to use of social services. Since this factor is manipulable to planned change, several program strategies were suggested for increasing awareness of social services particularly among the impaired elderly.

Social administration digest

1979 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 83-106
Author(s):  
Kathleen M. Slack
Keyword(s):  
Social Services ◽  
Trade Unions ◽  
Later Life ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
White Paper ◽  
Pension Scheme ◽  
Property Market ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Times ◽  
State Pension

News about social security and income maintenance opened with a special insertion on pensions in The Times of 11 May. This consisted of articles on various aspects of the new earnings-related pension scheme which came into force on 6 April. The accounts included funded schemes; private pension schemes; employers' and employees' participation; age flexibility in retirement; insurance funds; the property market and investment; the problem of size; the position of widows; trade unions and pensions; the exclusion of the self-employed and the position after the 1980s. The opening article said that the important achievement of getting the scheme into operation was diminished by the sheer weight of ignorance about it – ‘All the evidence to date indicates that the vast majority of people cannot or will not understand the new State pension scheme.’ This may be regrettable but it is not surprising in view of the scheme's complexity. How far the govermnent's efforts to overcome widespread ignorance will be successful remains to be seen (28 – 7/4 – 1.7). women was raised once again in a discussion document on the role of the elderly in society published on 27 June, A Happier Old Age. The numbers and circumstances of elderly people and public expenditure on services to help them were presented in the document which was concerned not only with pensions but with family life, recreation, mobility and other aspects of later life. Comments were invited by the Secretary of State for the Social Services by the end of October. The publication of a White Paper on the elderly in 1979 was foreshadowed. The problems of retirement age and the difference between men and women were presented and discussed in August 1976 (22 – 6/z – 1.8) and in February 1977 (24 – 6/4 – 1.10).

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document