Related Experiment Videos
Regional Variation in Home Oxygen Therapy Use in Japan: An Age-Standardized Ecological Analysis Using the NDB Open
Tomohiro Akaba1,2, Yuno Shiota1, Miki Kubo1
1Department of Respiratory Medicine, Tokyo Women's Medical University School of Medicine, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
Geriatrics & Gerontology International
|July 5, 2026
Summary
Home oxygen therapy (HOT) use varies regionally in Japan, linked to home medical care availability. Older prefectures showed lower age-standardized HOT use, suggesting infrastructure impacts access.
Area of Science:
- Healthcare Services Research
- Public Health
- Respiratory Medicine
Background:
- Home oxygen therapy (HOT) is crucial for managing chronic respiratory diseases.
- Significant regional disparities in healthcare resource allocation and utilization are observed globally.
- Understanding these variations is key to optimizing patient care and resource distribution.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the geographical distribution of home oxygen therapy (HOT) utilization across Japan.
- To explore the relationship between regional healthcare resources and HOT use.
- To identify factors influencing regional variations in HOT provision.
Main Methods:
- Ecological cross-sectional study using national claims data (Fiscal Year 2023).
- Calculated age-standardized claim ratios (SCRs) for 47 prefectures.
- Employed multivariable linear regression to assess associations with home-care clinic density, specialist density, population aging, and mortality.
Main Results:
- Nationwide, 3,249,998 patients had HOT claims.
- Significant regional variation in SCRs (range: 54.4–140.4).
- Higher home-care support clinic density correlated with increased HOT use. Population aging showed an inverse association, while higher respiratory disease mortality correlated with higher HOT use.
Conclusions:
- Regional differences in home oxygen therapy (HOT) use are associated with the availability of home medical care infrastructure.
- Lower age-standardized HOT utilization in more aged prefectures may indicate specific regional challenges in HOT delivery.
- Findings highlight the impact of regional healthcare context on HOT access and provision.
Related Concept Videos
Special considerations while measuring oxygen saturation
Assessing respiratory rate concurrently with pulse measurement is fundamental to patient care, providing valuable insights into the patient's respiratory function. The normal breathing rate for an adult usually falls within a normal range of 12 to 20 breaths per minute. Abnormal respiratory rates can signal underlying health conditions or the need for immediate intervention.
Ensuring accuracy in vital sign recordings while prioritizing patient comfort and minimizing anxiety is important.
Ensuring accuracy in vital sign recordings while prioritizing patient comfort and minimizing anxiety is important.
Documentation in Long-Term and Home Healthcare Setting
Documentation in long-term care facilities and home healthcare settings is crucial for ensuring continuous, coordinated, and comprehensive care for patients. Each setting has its specific documentation processes and tools:
Long-Term Care Facilities
Long-Term Care Facilities
Bias in Epidemiological Studies
Biases can arise at various stages of research, from study design and data collection to analysis and interpretation. Recognizing and addressing these biases is essential to ensure the validity and reliability of epidemiological findings.Broadly speaking, biases in epidemiology fall into three main categories: selection bias, information bias, and confounding. A more detailed description of possible biases is:
Respiratory Assessment: Purpose and Indications
Respiratory assessment is a cornerstone of nursing assessments, crucial for the early detection of patient deterioration. This evaluation transcends routine procedures, representing a critical skill nurses must master to ensure optimal patient care.
Objectives and Importance:
The primary goal of respiratory assessment is to evaluate patients at early risk of clinical deterioration. Since respiratory distress often precedes other signs of declining health, breathing patterns and sounds become a...
Objectives and Importance:
The primary goal of respiratory assessment is to evaluate patients at early risk of clinical deterioration. Since respiratory distress often precedes other signs of declining health, breathing patterns and sounds become a...
Administering Oxygen by Mask
Administering Oxygen by Mask
Administering oxygen by mask is a common nursing intervention that provides supplemental oxygen to patients with respiratory distress or chronic lung conditions. This procedure involves delivering oxygen at a specified rate through a face mask connected to an oxygen source.
Equipment
The equipment necessary for this procedure includes:
Administering oxygen by mask is a common nursing intervention that provides supplemental oxygen to patients with respiratory distress or chronic lung conditions. This procedure involves delivering oxygen at a specified rate through a face mask connected to an oxygen source.
Equipment
The equipment necessary for this procedure includes:
Treatment for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Oxygen Therapy for Respiratory Failure
Oxygen therapy has emerged as a significant tool in enhancing the quality of life for patients suffering from pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). While this therapy has principally been studied on patients with significant hypoxemia, this therapeutic approach helps prevent potential organ damage and can be administered in the comfort of one's home.
Oxygen therapy is vital in increasing and maintaining blood oxygen levels in PAH patients. As a result, it aids in reducing fatigue, improving...
Oxygen therapy is vital in increasing and maintaining blood oxygen levels in PAH patients. As a result, it aids in reducing fatigue, improving...