Healthcare services for Japanese elderly long-staying in Thailand from the perspective of the patient and healthcare providers: A survey study

Fukahori, Hiroki; Baba, Yuji; Hioki, Fumika; Monkong, Supreeda; Intarasombat, Prakong; Malathum, Porntip

doi:10.1016/j.archger.2010.08.007

Cited by 18 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…The study suggests rapid aging among Japanese long-stay retirees with an increase from an average of 64.7 years old in a previous survey in Chiang Mai in 2007 [30] to 68.3 years old in Chiang Mai or 68.8 years old among the total participants. One reason may be that the original cohort continued to stay in Thailand while the other may be that new entrants are older due to an increase in the retirement age or the introduction of a post-retirement employment system in Japan [32].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 56%

“…The majority in the current study (58%) have been staying in Thailand for more than five years, while only 12% did so in 2007 [30]. In addition, a majority of the participants (63%) resided in Thailand for more than 300 days in the previous year.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Although it requires further study, one of the biggest barriers to seeking treatment in Thailand might be a fear of high medical costs. Compared to the fixed medical fees under Japan’s universal health insurance scheme, private medical care costs in Thailand are more expensive [30, 33]. …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Previous studies of Japanese retirees in Thailand were mostly conducted in Chiang Mai, a mecca for long-stay Japanese located in the north of Thailand, and focused on their motivations for coming or leaving Thailand [24, 28, 29], how they adjusted to the host country [20], or improvement of information provision [14]. Few studies reported health care service use quantitatively except for a study in 2007 in Chiang Mai which focused on the attitude of Japanese long-stay retirees towards Thai medical services [30]. Apart from the limited data gained from this study in Chiang Mai, very little information is available on health care demand, the frequency of medical service use, or disease patterns of Japanese retirees in Thailand.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Cross-border movement of older patients: a descriptive study on health service use of Japanese retirees in Thailand

et al. 2017

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BackgroundThailand’s policy to promote long-stay tourism encourages Japanese retirees to relocate to Thailand. One concern of such an influx is the impact of these elderly foreign residents on the Thai health system. This study aims to reveal the current use of and needs for health services amongst Japanese retirees residing in various locations in Thailand.MethodsIn collaboration with nine Japanese self-help clubs in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, and Phuket, questionnaire surveys of Japanese long-stay retirees were conducted from January to March 2015. The inclusion criteria were being ≥ 50 years of age and staying in Thailand for ≥30 days in the previous 12 months while the main exclusion criteria included relocation by company, relocation due to marriage, or working migrants.ResultsThe mean age of the 237 eligible participants was 68.8, with 79.3% of them being male, 57.8% having stayed in Thailand for ≥5 years, 63.3% having stayed in Thailand for ≥300 days in the previous 12 months and 33% suffering from chronic diseases or sequelae. Of the 143 who had health check-ups in the previous 12 months, 48.3% did so in Thailand. The top 3 diseases treated either in Thailand or Japan in the previous 12 months were dental diseases (50 patients), hypertension (44 patients), and musculoskeletal disorders (41 patients), with the rate of treatment in Thailand standing at 46.0, 47.7, and 65.9%, respectively. Of the 106 who saw a doctor in Thailand in the same period, 70.8% did so less than once a month. Only 23.2% of the participants preferred to receive medical treatment for serious conditions in Thailand. However, this number rose to 32.9% for long-term care (LTC) use.ConclusionThe usage of Thai health services amongst Japanese long-stay retirees is currently limited as they prefer going back to Japan for health screenings and treatment of chronic or serious diseases. However, the number of Japanese residents requiring health services including LTC and end-of-life care is expected to increase. The potential impact of promoting long-stay tourism on the Thai public health should be acknowledged and investigated by the Thai government, including the tourism authority.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 56%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Cross-border movement of older patients: a descriptive study on health service use of Japanese retirees in Thailand

et al. 2017

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“…This makes a visit to an overseas hospital a positive experience and reduces fear which is associated with hospital visits when suffering from serious disease. In the case of Japanese outbound medical tourists to Thailand, some elderly middle income Japanese stay for long, in spite of high medical costs, as their incomes are relatively high compared with the average Thai or Bangladeshi patients, with no health insurance and out-ofpocket medical expenses, in addition to travel and accommodation costs [46].…”

Section: Thailand As a Medical Destination For Bangladeshimentioning

confidence: 99%