Factors Influencing the Intention of Admission into a Charged Nursing Home for the Elderly

유료노인전문요양원 입주의사 결정요인에 관한 연구

Objectives : To gather information about the factors which influence the interest and intention of admission into charging nursing hones for the elderly(CNH), as these homes represent an important method for resolving the problems related to the rapid population aging occurring in Korea. Methods : A face-to-face interview survey was carried out with 320(men 159, women 165) patients over 60 years old who were admitted at 2 university hospitals and 5 general hospitals in the Busan area between December 1998 and March 1999. Data were analyzed through t-test, ANOVA, correlation and multiple regression analysis. Results : The mean age and years of education of the study population was 67.0 and 7.7 years, and the types of chronic degenerative disease included musculoskeletal disorders(20.1%), cerebrovascular disease(17.1%), and diabetes(14.3%). The major forms of household living arrangement prior to admission were elderly alone(22.6%), and elderly couple(33.5%), while about half of them(55.5%) didn't want to live with their children id the future. Almost half were paying medication fees by themselves(46.6%). The level of actual intention of admission$(3.07{\pm}1.39)$ into a CNH was lower than that of interest$(3.22{\pm}1.33)$(p<0.01). Multiple analysis revealed that the intention of admission increased with decreasing number of future supportive persons$(\beta=-0.107)$, lower level of activity in daily life$(\beta=-0.447)$, and longer years of education$(\beta=-0.447)$ with 32.7% of $R^2$. As for the factors which determined the admission into a CNH, the fee and facilities were considered to be most important, and professional nursing and physician's care were the most desired services. In nomenclature, they preferred 'elderly hospital' or 'elderly health center' to CNH. Conclusions : Interest in CNH is increasing recently, but existing studies about patient experiences in CHN are still limited. This study may form a basis for future examinations of the needs and uses for CNH. Active financial support and public information are considered by the authors to be important factors for the induction of welfare services for the elderly, though CNH.