Regional trends in the utilization of home-based care covered by the social security system in Korea among older adults: using Korea National Health Insurance Service Senior Cohort (Preprint)
Analysis reveals significant increases in community-based care and nursing utilization rates among older adults, indicating regional disparities in service access.
Key Points
Utilization rates of community-based home care and nursing care increased significantly from 2008 to 2019, while hospital-based nursing care showed a non-significant trend.
Annual utilization was assessed across 17 regions, with significant regional increases identified particularly in Seoul and several nearby regions.
Spatial clustering using statistical methods indicated concentrated growth of home-based care services in certain areas, highlighting regional differences.
Recognizing these disparities is crucial as Korea’s population ages, guiding policy for more balanced home-based care delivery.