Understanding the Mismatch Between Utilization and Demand for Home Medical Care Among Disabled Older Adults in China

Home medical care has emerged globally as an effective approach to addressing the medical and care needs of disabled older adults due to its comfort, convenience, and cost-effectiveness. Understanding the utilization and demand for home medical care services among this population is a key area. This study aims to analyze the utilization and demand for these services among disabled older adults in China.

The data for this study were drawn from national-level data from the 2018 China Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) and a household survey conducted in Beijing, the capital of China, in 2024. Descriptive analyses were employed to examine the utilization and demand for home medical care services among disabled older adults, while chi-squared tests and logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with these outcomes.

Based on data from 3278 disabled older adults in the CLHLS dataset, which consists of a total of 15874 records, the utilization rate of home medical care services was highest in the Eastern region, while the demand rate exceeded 85% in each regions. Data from the household survey of 958 patients in Beijing indicated that the top three service categories with the largest gaps between utilization and demand were medication treatment, traditional Chinese medicine treatment, and rehabilitation nursing, which the mismatch gap reached 17.7%, 17.6%, and 15.5%, respectively. Region and residential area significantly influenced the utilization for these services, while residential area and age impacted demand.

Currently, home medical care services in China are characterized by a limited range of offerings and a mismatch between utilization and demand. It is recommended that the home medical care service system be further optimized to ensure a more balanced distribution of medical and healthcare resources.