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Outpatient Visits among Older Adults Living Alone in China: Does Health Insurance and City of Residence Matter?

Publication ,  Journal Article
Wang, J; Pei, Y; Zhong, R; Wu, B
Published in: International journal of environmental research and public health
June 2020

This study aimed to examine the association between health insurance, city of residence, and outpatient visits among older adults living alone in China. A sample of 3173 individuals was derived from "Survey on Older Adults Aged 70 and Above Living Alone in Urban China" in five different cities. Logistic regression models indicated that older adults living alone who had urban employee basic medical insurance, urban resident basic medical insurance, and public medical insurance were more likely to have outpatient visits than those without any health insurance. After controlling the number of chronic diseases, only those with public medical insurance were more likely to have outpatient visits than uninsured older adults. Additionally, older adults who resided in Shanghai and Guangzhou were more likely to have outpatient visits than those in Chengdu, whereas older adults who were in Dalian and Hohhot were less likely to have outpatient visits. To improve the equity of outpatient visits among older adults living alone in China, policy efforts should be made to reduce fragmentation of different health insurance plans, expand the health insurance coverage for older adults, provide programs that consider the needs of this special group of older adults, and reduce the inequality in health resources and health insurance policies across cities.

Duke Scholars

Published In

International journal of environmental research and public health

DOI

EISSN

1660-4601

ISSN

1661-7827

Publication Date

June 2020

Volume

17

Issue

12

Start / End Page

E4256

Related Subject Headings

  • Toxicology
  • Social Isolation
  • Residence Characteristics
  • Outpatients
  • Medically Uninsured
  • Male
  • Insurance, Health
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Cities
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Wang, J., Pei, Y., Zhong, R., & Wu, B. (2020). Outpatient Visits among Older Adults Living Alone in China: Does Health Insurance and City of Residence Matter? International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(12), E4256. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17124256
Wang, Jianyun, Yaolin Pei, Renyao Zhong, and Bei Wu. “Outpatient Visits among Older Adults Living Alone in China: Does Health Insurance and City of Residence Matter?International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17, no. 12 (June 2020): E4256. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17124256.
Wang J, Pei Y, Zhong R, Wu B. Outpatient Visits among Older Adults Living Alone in China: Does Health Insurance and City of Residence Matter? International journal of environmental research and public health. 2020 Jun;17(12):E4256.
Wang, Jianyun, et al. “Outpatient Visits among Older Adults Living Alone in China: Does Health Insurance and City of Residence Matter?International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 17, no. 12, June 2020, p. E4256. Epmc, doi:10.3390/ijerph17124256.
Wang J, Pei Y, Zhong R, Wu B. Outpatient Visits among Older Adults Living Alone in China: Does Health Insurance and City of Residence Matter? International journal of environmental research and public health. 2020 Jun;17(12):E4256.

Published In

International journal of environmental research and public health

DOI

EISSN

1660-4601

ISSN

1661-7827

Publication Date

June 2020

Volume

17

Issue

12

Start / End Page

E4256

Related Subject Headings

  • Toxicology
  • Social Isolation
  • Residence Characteristics
  • Outpatients
  • Medically Uninsured
  • Male
  • Insurance, Health
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Cities