[Relationships between characteristics of community and health service and activity states of medical care facilities in four regions of Fukuoka Prefecture].
In the present study, we assigned a geographical range to promote community health service planning according to the life-behavior spaces of inhabitants in Fukuoka prefecture and regarded the country-life zone, defined by the Ministry of Construction, as a region in which health services should be investigated. The social and economic characteristics of each individual region were then analyzed. As a result, four factors related to "Industrialization" and "Urbanization" were detected. Further, the states of space distribution of medical care facilities and medical care-related facilities were clarified, and relationships between the states and the above socio-economic characteristics were investigated. The states of space distribution in both facilities in Fukuoka prefecture were proved to be remarkably similar on an axis of the "Accumulation of Urbanism" factor. Moreover, Path Analysis was performed in order to clarify the patterns of treatment received by the inhabitants, and a model of these trends in relation to health care received was constructed, highlighting problems in the necessary planning of health service provision. It was specifically indicated that the problem of aging in Chikuho region would be an important factor affecting such planning in the future. We also analyzed the present state of emergency medical services in Fukuoka prefecture and the activities of health nurses in each individual region.
D002391:Catchment Area, Health; D004467:Economics; D004632:Emergency Medical Services; D007564:Japan; D012040:Regional Health Planning; D012924:Social Conditions; D014505:Urban Population