| Summary: | 碩士 === 靜宜大學 === 管理碩士在職專班 === 101 === The purpose of this study is to examine the factors influencing health status and medical resources utilization among the middle-aged and elderly in Taiwan, and compare the differences of medical resources utilization between them.
The data used are from the Survey of Health and Living Status (SHLS) in 2007, which contains detailed information on individuals, family structure, health, social support, employment, and economic status. The total sample has 4534 observations. The econometric models include: probit models are firstly used to explore the factors influencing medical resource utilization among the middle-aged and elderly, including hospitalization, western medicine, and Chinese medicine. Next, the ordered probit models are used to estimate the state of medical resources utilization. Finally, the multinominal logit models are used to explore how the middle-aged and elderly choose western medicine and Chinese medicine.
The main results of this study include:
(1)For the economic factors, the number of the middle-aged and elderly with chronic diseases increasing, the elderly of aged 65 and over who are less likely to stay in hospital.
(2)Regardless of the number of the middle-aged and elderly with chronic diseases increasing, they are more like to take drugs for caring chronic diseases regularly. Furthermore, the average of life expectancy increasing, the medical resources utilization and the costs of health insurance are gradually increasing. This is one of the reasons that the finance of health insurance can not be improved. The interaction effect of the drug and health food are also affected by chronic diseases from the elderly. The government agencies should pay more attentions for these situations.
(3)For the scales of activity of daily living (ADL), people with better education, living in metropolitan areas, with health insurance insured, with health examinations from the last three years, with better income, living with children, with exercise regularly, no smoking, and suitable drinking have better abilities of ADL.
(4)For the factors of Instrument Activities of Daily Living (IADL), people with health insurance and fewer chronic diseases have better abilities of IADL.
(5)For the factors of medical resources utilization, older people with health insurance insured, with health examinations from the last three years prefer to use the western medicine. On the contrast, the female elderly with more children, more chronic diseases, and with more healthy food are more likely to use the Chinese medicine.
The main policy recommendations include:
(1)This study found if the elderly living with their children, their health status are easier for caring. This study strongly suggests that three generations may live together or live nearby. Then, it would be good for the elderly health staus.
(2)The limitation of the law of personal data protection, the seventh wave of 2012 SHLS survey could not be available for studying by public academic units or individuals. Hopefully, they can open and release these further waves of survey, it would be very useful and important for this research in the future.
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