[An analysis of factors associated with the increase of in-patient medical expenditures for the elderly in Fukuoka Prefecture].
In order to evaluate factors associated with the increase in the in-patient medical expenditures for the elderly in Fukuoka prefecture during the period from 1987 to 1991, an analysis was conducted based on the data of 10 Health Care Regions. According to the results, there were two patterns in the increase. The first was the pattern observed in the southern part of the prefecture, where most of the increase in the in-patient medical expenditures for the elderly was explained by the increase of medical expenditures per capita. Furthermore, this increase per capita was due to the increase in utilization rate. This pattern is considered to be associated with the increase of general hospital beds as well as with the increase of the dependent elderly in the regions. The second pattern was observed in urban regions, such as Fukuoka and Kitakyushu, where the increase of in-patient medical expenditures for the elderly was mainly due to the increase in the number of elderly in the regions. This pattern is considered to be associated with the increase in the population categorized as the aged household. The present result suggests that in order to control the medical expenditures for the elderly, different service-mix strategies will be necessary, respecting the socio-economic characteristics of each region.
Matsuda
S
S
Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan.
Tsutsui
Y
Y
Murata
H
H
Funatani
F
F
D003710:Demography; D004469:Economics, Hospital; D005102:Health Expenditures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000191:economics*; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics*; D006761:Hospitals / Q000600:supply & distribution; D007297:Inpatients; D007564:Japan