scholarly journals Health Services Utilization Among Older Adults in Vietnam: Evidence From the National Household Living Standard Survey 2016

2021 ◽  
pp. 101053952110446
Author(s):  
Mai P. Nguyen

This study—using multinomial logistic regressions—analyzed a national sample of 2977 older adults to examine factors associated with their health services utilization in 4 types of health providers—namely, commune health stations (CHSs), private clinics, private hospitals, and public hospitals in Vietnam. Older Vietnamese favored using public hospitals for their health consultancies, even for regular health checkups. For nonsevere illness, the relative risk ratio of choosing private clinics was 3 times (95% CI: 2.2-4.1) that of CHSs. Possession of public health insurance was a key enabling factor that influenced the older adults’ choice of CHSs over private clinics. Older adults of ethnic minority and living in rural areas were more likely to use CHSs than other health facilities. This study suggests a substantial quality improvement of services at CHSs, an innovative reform toward a diversified structure of private and public clinics to address diverse needs and to strengthen primary care for older adults.

2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 359-382 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Emmanuel Guindon

AbstractIn recent years, a number of low- and middle-income country governments have introduced health insurance schemes. Yet not a great deal is known about the impact of such policy shifts. Vietnam’s recent health insurance experience including a health insurance scheme for the poor in 2003 and a compulsory scheme that provides health insurance to all children under six years of age combined with Vietnam’s commitment to universal coverage calls for research that examines the impact of health insurance. Taking advantage of Vietnam’s unique policy environment, data from the 2002, 2004 and 2006 waves of the Vietnam Household Living Standard Survey and single-difference and difference-in-differences approaches are used to assess whether access to health insurance – for the poor, for children and for students – impacts on health services utilization and health outcomes in Vietnam. For the poor and for students, results suggest health insurance increased the use of inpatient services but not of outpatient services or health outcomes. For young children, results suggest health insurance increased the use of outpatient services (including the use of preventive health services such as vaccination and check-up) but not of inpatient services.


2017 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 556-579 ◽  
Author(s):  
Halima Amjad ◽  
Stephanie K. Wong ◽  
David L. Roth ◽  
Jin Huang ◽  
Amber Willink ◽  
...  

2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 269-279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Young Sun Kim ◽  
T. Greg Rhee ◽  
Hee Yun Lee ◽  
Byung Hyun Park ◽  
Monica L. Sharratt

ABSTRACTBackground:Existing literature suggests that mental health literacy is positively associated with mental health services utilization. Despite an aging population that faces significant mental health concerns in Korea, the role of mental health literacy on mental health services utilization is not known among older adults in Korea. This study aimed to (1) identify whether mental health literacy mediates the association between population characteristics and mental health services utilization and (2) identify an optimal path model for mental health services utilization among Korean older adults.Methods:Using a cross-sectional survey with a quota sampling strategy, we collected and analyzed responses from 596 community-dwelling individuals ages 65 years and older. We used structural equation modeling (SEM) to estimate the effect of mental health literacy as a mediator.Results:When controlling for other relevant covariates in the optimal path model, mental health literacy mediated the relationships between three socio-demographic factors (education, general literacy, and health status) and mental health services utilization. The model fit index shows that the SEM fits very well (CFI = 0.92, NFI = 0.90, RMSEA = 0.07).Conclusions:Efforts to improve mental health literacy through community-based education programs may need to particularly target Korean older adults with the relevant socio-demographic characteristics to enhance their utilization of appropriate mental health services.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jing Guo ◽  
Dexia Kong ◽  
Anao Zhang ◽  
Liming Fang ◽  
Yingxue Zhu

Abstract Background: The prevalence of depressive symptoms has been steadily increasing in recent years, however middle aged and older adults was less likely to use mental health services. The aims of this study were to 1) examine the cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships between depressive symptoms and health services utilization among Chinese middle-aged and older adults; and 2) evaluate whether there exists a rural-urban difference in such relationships. Methods: Data was obtained from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) in 2013 and 2015, a nationally representative survey of 13,551 adults aged 45 years and above in China. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess the cross-sectional and longitudinal relationship between depressive symptoms and health services utilization in the whole sample, and urban and rural subsamples respectively. Results: Depressive symptoms were positively associated with a greater likelihood of outpatient and inpatient health services utilization. In addition, the relationships between depressive symptoms and health service use were consistent across rural and urban settings, indicating the robustness of such findings across geographic areas. Conclusions: Findings indicate that depressive symptoms are significantly associated with both in-patient and out-patient health service utilization among Chinese adults. Screening for depressive symptoms needs to be incorporated in these care settings in China.


Author(s):  
Thang Pham ◽  
Nguyen Nguyen ◽  
Sophie ChieuTo ◽  
Tuan Pham ◽  
Thanh Nguyen ◽  
...  

In Vietnam, as in much of the world, the elderly population is growing rapidly. Two-thirds of Vietnam’s elderly live in rural areas, where there may be unique health profiles and needs. Furthermore, the sex ratio in the elderly population is highly skewed. The relationship between sex, health-seeking behavior, and health outcomes in elderly individuals residing in rural areas has not been well-characterized, and needs to be elucidated in order to better serve this population. This study sought to explore the associations of sex with health and health-seeking behavior among the elderly in Soc Son, a rural district of Hanoi. A cross-sectional design was employed; elderly women and men were surveyed across the domains of socioeconomic information, health status, and healthcare service utilization. We found differences between women and men in sociodemographic characteristics, quality of life, health outcomes, and patterns of health services utilization. Overall, women had poorer health and quality of life, but no difference was found between sexes regarding level of health services utilization. Future research should expand upon these findings and, moreover, characterize their underlying systemic, sociocultural, and psychological mechanisms, in order to help bring solutions to improve the health of elderly persons in rural parts of Vietnam.


Neurology ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 87 (20) ◽  
pp. 2091-2098 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Gruneir ◽  
Lauren E. Griffith ◽  
Kathryn Fisher ◽  
Dilzayn Panjwani ◽  
Sima Gandhi ◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 227-239 ◽  
Author(s):  
Razak M. Gyasi ◽  
David R. Phillips ◽  
Padmore Adusei Amoah

Objectives: This study examines multidimensional social supports as predictors of health services utilization among community-dwelling older Ghanaians. Method: Using data from a 2016/2017 Aging, Health, Psychological Wellbeing and Health-Seeking Behavior Study ( N = 1,200), Poisson regression models estimated the associations of aspects of informal social support and health facility utilization among older people. Results: Findings suggest that regular contacts with family/close friends (odds ratio [OR] = 1.299; 95% confidence interval [CI] = [1.111, 1.519]), social participation (OR = 1.021; 95% CI = [1.140, 1.910]), and remittances from adult children (OR = 1.091; 95%CI = [1.086, 1.207]) were associated with increased health services utilization with some gender variations. Having caregivers increased health care use generally (OR = 1.108; 95% CI = [1.016, 1.209]) and among men (OR = 1.181; 95% CI = [1.015, 1.373]). However, we found decrease in health care use among those who received pecuniary assistance (OR = 0.893; 95% CI = [0.805, 0.990]). Discussion: Perceived structural and functional social support domains appear influential in health care utilization among older adults in Ghana. The findings underscore the need for intervention programs and social policies targeted at both micro-factors and wider social factors, including the novel area of remittances to older adults.


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