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Factors Influencing the Utilization of Healthcare and Rehabilitation Services by Elders with Disabilities |
Zhao Xintong1, Wang Hongchuan2 |
1.School of Labor and Human Resources, Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872, China 2.School of Public Policy and Management, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China |
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Abstract The population of elders with disabilities in China continues to grow while also appearing to under utilize healthcare services. Ensuring that this demographic has access to adequate healthcare and rehabilitation services is important in achieving health-system equity, however, there is a lack of empirical study on the factors influencing inequality in health and healthcare access among people with disabilities generally. This study proposes a theoretical framework to explain the equity of healthcare services based on the principle of social equity, identifying that the utilization of healthcare and rehabilitation services for elders with disabilities is related to both individual and environmental factors, with the latter having the more substantially role. On this basis, we assessed the degree of utilization of healthcare and rehabilitation services among elders with disabilities, and employed a multivariate logistics regression model to examine the factors that contribute to the unequal utilization of healthcare and rehabilitation services among this population.The main findings are as follows: there is clear underutilization of healthcare and rehabilitation services among elders with disabilities; utilization of medical resources is lowest for elders with speech and multiple disabilities, while utilization of rehabilitation services is the lowest for those with physical disabilities. Significant individual-level factors that influence the utilization of healthcare and rehabilitation services include gender, age, marital status, education level, and household registration status. Environmental factors identified were social participation and availability of healthcare and fitness professionals with disability-related knowledge of healthcare and rehabilitation. The correlations between environmental factors and utilization of healthcare and rehabilitation services are robust across all disability types. In addition, the results are robust across all measures of utilization of healthcare and rehabilitation services.This paper concludes that, firstly, social integration of elders with disabilities should be prioritized and promoted through a community-based approach, involving social workers, and all relevant government and private sector agencies. Secondly, the training of healthcare professionals with disability-related knowledge should be enhanced, so as to provide specialized healthcare services for the needs of the elders with disabilities. Moreover, the equalization of basic public health services at community level should be a critical policy priority to provide healthcare, rehabilitation and a barrier-free public environment, thereby enhancing the utilization of healthcare services for elders with disabilities. The findings of this paper provide a basis for formulating healthcare and rehabilitation policy to remove barriers and promote social equity for elders with disabilities.
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Received: 12 November 2021
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