[Related factors in the elderly's use of municipal institutions: basic study for promoting participation in a care prevention program].
OBJECTIVE
This study was performed to examine factors related to the use of municipal institutions with the focus on 'Accessibility'.


METHODS
The data used in this analysis were from the AGES (Aichi Gerontological Evaluation Study) Project, conducted by Nihon Fukushi University located in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. A self-administrated questionnaires was mailed to 5,759 persons aged 65 years and older who were not disabled in 2006, and 2,795 persons responded. A dependent variable in the analysis was the use of municipal institutions (a Public Health Center, Welfare Center for the elderly and City Hall). Independent variables were age, disease, employment status, IADL (instrumental activities of daily living), depression (GDS: geriatric depression scale), self-rated feeling of health and 'Accessibility' (transportation mode and distance from municipal institutions). Multivariate logistic analysis was used to provide adjusted relative risk estimates for the associations between use of municipal institutions and related factors.


RESULTS
In multivariate logistic analysis, 'Accessibility' showed a significant relative risk for the use of municipal institutions after controlling for other related factors. Compared with the elderly whose places of residence was located less than 250 meters from the municipal institutions, the relative risk for the elderly who resided more than 1,500 meters from the municipal institutions was around 0.4 (male: RR = 0.358; female: RR = 0.378).


CONCLUSIONS
'Accessibility' is significantly related to the use of municipal institutions. To promote use of the municipal institutions, improving elderly access may well be effective.
Hirai
Hiroshi
H
COE Promotion office, Nihon Fukushi University.
Kondo
Katsunori
K
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006299:Health Services for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D012946:Social Welfare; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires