How long-term care literacy impacts older adults' preferences for future care services

This study investigates the impact of long-term care literacy (CL) on the preferences for future long-term care services among older Japanese adults (aged 65 years and older). We used data from 5075 older adults who lived in Sakai City, Osaka, in 2019. We applied an unequal variance t-test and a multinomial logit model to analyze differences in respondents' characteristics and their care service preferences. The estimation results reveal that inadequate CL, poor subjective health, and low economic status are associated with unclear care preferences. Conversely, adequate CL is correlated with a preference for mixed or formal care over informal care. Other covariates such as age, sex, family structure, access to primary care, and community involvement also influence care preferences. Our findings highlight the need for policymakers and practitioners to develop tailored interventions to enhance CL and support informed care choices among older adults, contributing to the literature on future long-term care planning.