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Healthcare costs for people aged 65+ two years prior to their receiving long-term municipal care.

Kristensson, Jimmie LU ; Rahm Hallberg, Ingalill LU and Lundborg, Petter LU (2008) In Aging clinical and experimental research 20(6). p.547-555
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: More knowledge is needed about patterns of healthcare consumption at different times during old age, particularly with regard to the relationship between various agents in the healthcare and social services system. One aim was to investigate healthcare costs in the public medical healthcare system in men and women (65+) and, with regard to age, in the two years prior to the start of long-term municipal care and services. Another aim was to investigate patterns and determinants of costs. METHODS: The study comprised 362 people who received decisions about municipal care and/or services during 2002-2003, and data were derived from the Swedish National Study of Aging and Care (SNAC) and county councils registers about... (More)
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: More knowledge is needed about patterns of healthcare consumption at different times during old age, particularly with regard to the relationship between various agents in the healthcare and social services system. One aim was to investigate healthcare costs in the public medical healthcare system in men and women (65+) and, with regard to age, in the two years prior to the start of long-term municipal care and services. Another aim was to investigate patterns and determinants of costs. METHODS: The study comprised 362 people who received decisions about municipal care and/or services during 2002-2003, and data were derived from the Swedish National Study of Aging and Care (SNAC) and county councils registers about healthcare consumption. SNAC provided data concerning demographics, functional dependency and informal care at the time of the decision, which were merged with data from the Skåne County Council patient administrative system regarding costs in the two years prior to decision. RESULTS: Cluster analysis revealed 13% overall higher healthcare costs. Those involved were more often younger, men, married, and diagnosed with circulatory diseases, cancer, or injuries. Most (58% for women, 54% for men) of the costs for acute inpatient care occurred within five months prior to municipal care. Men had significantly higher costs compared with women for visits to outpatient physicians (EUR 700 vs 400) and inpatient care (EUR 4700 vs 700) 12-0 months prior to municipal care. CONCLUSIONS: A share of 13% had higher healthcare costs throughout the two years. Those involved were more often younger, men, married, and diagnosed with circulatory diseases, cancer, or injuries. Those older people at risk of high healthcare costs should benefit from systematic clinical assessments and more proactive and integrated care, to prevent escalating costs in the period preceding long-term municipal care and services. (Less)
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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Aging clinical and experimental research
volume
20
issue
6
pages
547 - 555
publisher
Kurtis
external identifiers
  • wos:000263126700010
  • pmid:19179839
  • scopus:60749130786
ISSN
1720-8319
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
3db0eb33-1c36-4224-bc03-582c21987bc9 (old id 1289180)
alternative location
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19179839?dopt=Abstract
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 09:03:49
date last changed
2022-01-29 08:06:33
@article{3db0eb33-1c36-4224-bc03-582c21987bc9,
  abstract     = {{BACKGROUND AND AIMS: More knowledge is needed about patterns of healthcare consumption at different times during old age, particularly with regard to the relationship between various agents in the healthcare and social services system. One aim was to investigate healthcare costs in the public medical healthcare system in men and women (65+) and, with regard to age, in the two years prior to the start of long-term municipal care and services. Another aim was to investigate patterns and determinants of costs. METHODS: The study comprised 362 people who received decisions about municipal care and/or services during 2002-2003, and data were derived from the Swedish National Study of Aging and Care (SNAC) and county councils registers about healthcare consumption. SNAC provided data concerning demographics, functional dependency and informal care at the time of the decision, which were merged with data from the Skåne County Council patient administrative system regarding costs in the two years prior to decision. RESULTS: Cluster analysis revealed 13% overall higher healthcare costs. Those involved were more often younger, men, married, and diagnosed with circulatory diseases, cancer, or injuries. Most (58% for women, 54% for men) of the costs for acute inpatient care occurred within five months prior to municipal care. Men had significantly higher costs compared with women for visits to outpatient physicians (EUR 700 vs 400) and inpatient care (EUR 4700 vs 700) 12-0 months prior to municipal care. CONCLUSIONS: A share of 13% had higher healthcare costs throughout the two years. Those involved were more often younger, men, married, and diagnosed with circulatory diseases, cancer, or injuries. Those older people at risk of high healthcare costs should benefit from systematic clinical assessments and more proactive and integrated care, to prevent escalating costs in the period preceding long-term municipal care and services.}},
  author       = {{Kristensson, Jimmie and Rahm Hallberg, Ingalill and Lundborg, Petter}},
  issn         = {{1720-8319}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{6}},
  pages        = {{547--555}},
  publisher    = {{Kurtis}},
  series       = {{Aging clinical and experimental research}},
  title        = {{Healthcare costs for people aged 65+ two years prior to their receiving long-term municipal care.}},
  url          = {{http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19179839?dopt=Abstract}},
  volume       = {{20}},
  year         = {{2008}},
}