Maryam Tajvar
Tehran University of Health Sciences, Iran
Title: Inequalities In Utilization Of Health Services Among Older People In Iran
Biography
Biography: Maryam Tajvar
Abstract
Iran's population aged 60 years and older will reach more than 31% by 2050, from less than 10% now, leading
to an increase in the demand for health services and creates many challenges for the health system in the field
of providing financial resources and health services. From the social point of view, old age is associated with
retirement and loneliness, which creates special social and welfare needs which may expose them to inequality
in the utilization of health services. The purpose of study is to investigate the relationship between socioeconomic
characteristics and the use of health services in the elderly. The participants were 8205 people ≥60
years old who were selected through a 3-stage stratified random sampling from the data of the 2015 National
Service Utilization Survey. Data were collected by questionnaires and analyzed using logistic regression and
concentration index via spss17 and R software. The results show that the referral rate for outpatient and inpatient
services were as 67% and 93% and the utilization rates, out of which were as 98% and 97/8%, respectively. Factors
affecting the utilization of services included age and education (outpatient services), gender (inpatient services)
and supplementary insurance coverage (for both services). Based on the concentration index, a significant
inequalities were found in the use of inpatient services among different socio-economic groups (based on need)
(CI=0.24), but no significant inequalities in terms of outpatient servives. In conclusion, low socio-econimc
groups needs to be prioritised in supportive financial policies, on their access and utilization of inpatioent
sercices.