Factors explaining the referral of the elderly to home nursing or home help

Factors explaining the referral of the elderly to home nursing or home help or both were studied in a population (n = 1358) aged 60 years or over and living in the commune of Ahtäri, a semi-industrialized community in middle-western Finland, using social and health care registers and questionnaires in collecting data. The clients of home nursing and of combined home nursing and home help were predominantly women, whereas men were in the majority among those referred to home help. A stepwise regression analysis showed old age, living alone, low self-perceived health, low education and few visiting contacts to explain home nursing or home help among men. Among women, the most important variables explaining home nursing or home help in the regression model were old age, low self-perceived health, low standard of housing, high amount of symptoms and lowered functional capacity. The poor availability of social support is more important a factor explaining the referral to home care among elderly men than among women. On the other hand, low health status and poor functional capacity, as well as poor availability of physical support are more important factors among women than men.