Estimation of duration of formal long-term care among frail elderly people in Japanese communities using national long-term care insurance claims records

DOI Web Site PubMed
  • SATO Mikiya
    Health Services Research and Development Center, University of Tsukuba Health Services Center, Human Resources Group, Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd.
  • TAMIYA Nanako
    Health Services Research and Development Center, University of Tsukuba
  • ITO Tomoko
    Health Services Research and Development Center, University of Tsukuba
  • TAKAHASHI Hideto
    National Institute of Public Health
  • NOGUCHI Haruko
    Faculty of Political Science and Economics, Waseda University

Bibliographic Information

Other Title
  • 全国の介護保険レセプトを用いた在宅介護のフォーマルケア時間推計
  • ゼンコク ノ カイゴ ホケン レセプト オ モチイタ ザイタクカイゴ ノ フォーマルケア ジカン スイケイ

Search this article

Description

<p>Objective　The aim of this nationwide study was to estimate the duration of formal long-term care, provided by Japanese long-term care insurance (LTCI) services, among frail Japanese elderly people living in the community.</p><p>Methods　The study subjects were 2,188,397 (men: 579,422, women: 1,124,022, age≥65 years) beneficiaries who used LTCI services for community living in June 2013. The duration of LTCI services for community living per diem per capita was estimated by converting the benefit amount to duration of care using the code for service in claims bills according to gender and care levels, which are a nationally certified classification of individual needs for long-term care (care level 1: lowest need, care level 5: highest need). Subsequently, LTCI services for community living were categorized into respite services and community services. Community services were further subcategorized into home visiting services and daycare services.</p><p>Results　The overall average duration of formal care per diem per capita for men and women were 97.4 and 112.7 minutes for care level 1, 118.3 and 149.1 for care level 2, 186.9 and 246.4 for care level 3, 215.2 and 273.2 for care level 4, and 213.1 and 261.4 for care level 5, respectively. Length of respite services increased gradually with care level, whereas duration of community services peaked at care level 3 and decreased at care levels 4 and 5. With regard to the community service subcategories, duration of home visiting services increased with care level, but duration of daycare services peaked at care level 3.</p><p>Conclusion　Although the care levels in the LCTI system are designed to assess the need for formal care in terms of duration of care, our results suggest that the use of formal LTCI services for community living is not vertically equitable. Services that efficiently increase duration of formal care for those with higher needs for care may improve the equity and sustainability of formal long-term care services for community living.</p>

Journal

Keywords

Details 詳細情報について

Report a problem

Back to top