Long-term Care in Developed Countries and Recommendations for Slovak Republic

The aim of the study was to analyse the self-reported use of health services among the older Estonian population, to explain the predictors of health care utilisation and to study access to health services in comparison with other population groups. In November 2005, a randomly sampled Estonian residents aged 15-64 (n=1264) and 65-74 (n=182) was personally interviewed using structured questionnaires. Of the respondents aged 65-74, 81% reported having visited a general practitioner (GP) or specialist during the previous 12 months. Compared to younger people they used health services more often, except dental care. No significant differences were found in comparison with the waiting times to see the general practitioner or specialist between the younger and older population groups. Compared to the rest of the population people aged 65-74 were more satisfied with their access to health services. The probability of visiting a GP was higher for those respondents who had health problems and lived in rural areas. The presence of chronic illness also had an effect on the use of specialist services and ambulance services. Higher education, living in an urban area and having a family member with a chronic illness predicted the use of ambulance services as well. Younger age, higher income and higher education were predictors of the use of dental services. The availability of and access to health services for older people in Estonia are comparable with other groups of the population.

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 51%

Accessibility and Use of Health Services Among Older Estonian Population

Põlluste¹,

Kalda²,

Lember³

2009

“…Initially, long-term care policies were formulated as a response to ageing of the population, which brought about growing needs of elderly people for social care and health care, and was associated with relatively rapid increases of necessary costs (11). Old people are now the most rapidly growing segment of the population (12), and represent 20% of all Slovak inhabitants (11). An important additional consequence of population aging is the increasing needs and costs of long-term care (12).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Consolidation and decentralisation of administrative functions represents an important integration strategy. There are various models of organising and providing services that can bring services together "under one roof", and whatever model is selected, some form of case -management is usually necessary to ensure that services target the at-risk population (11). The respective public administration bodies -the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family, self-governing regions -and social service providers expect that legislation and organisational issues connected with financing health services in social service facilities by health insurance companies will be solved.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analysis of Long Term Care in the Context of Social and Health Services in Social Institutional Facilities in Slovakia

Lezovic

2009

Self Cite

SUMMARYObjectives: Long-term care for people with chronic illnesses and disabilities present an urgent challenge around the world. Existing systems of care, which typically rely on unpaid family members, are not by themselves enough to meet growing demands. This analysis includes survey on the structure of services provided in selected social facilities in Slovakia.Methods: The survey on structure of provided services includes social facilities providing services to the target groups involved in this analysis: Elderly people in retirement age; Disabled and chronically ill citizens in working age. For data collection from social facilities we used questionnaire method. The data were obtained from the managements of these facilities (n=405).Results: In social facilities, the age range of clients was 76-85 years (31%); the length of stay of a patient in a social facility was in 36% patients 11 years and longer. The most frequently performed activities in employees were related to services and activities (31%) and social care (30%). For 52% social facilities is waiting time 1 year and longer. The length of stay of patient in social facilities is affected in 83% by combination of health and social problems and as to the diagnosis structure the most prevalent conditions are ischemic heart diseases, heart attack, hypertension (39%), locomotor disease (36%). In 2006 the budget resources of social facilities were in 72% contributions from the state budget.Conclusion: Long-term care is closely interlinked with other programmes and systems, which can reduce the need for long-term care or which complement it.

“…Even though there are remarkable achievements in the field of health promotion in the Czech Republic, we have to admit that health promotion has still not been given the political priority as it deserves. The priority of residential homes and people's own homes as the main project settings and the dominance of lifestyle issues indicate the still rather traditional approach to health promotion which stresses the individual over the community and private areas (people´s homes, residential homes) to public space (like city, region, school, workplace).However, increasingly Central and Eastern European countries are becoming aware of the need for change in line with European and WHO policy (14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19). 13 109 literature items have been collected, representing 6,1% of the total research sample (N=1788).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Health Promotion for Older People in the Czech Republic in a European Perspective

Křížová¹,

Brzyski²,

Strümpel³

et al. 2010

SUMMARYThis article describes health promotion for older people in the Czech Republic from the European perspective 1 . It is based on findings from the European project healthPROelderly. Implementation of health promotion in the Czech republic as a new public health concept is outlined from the historical point of view. Structures and processes of health promotion in the Czech Republic are described in the context of social policy, demography and health. The European project healthPROelderly is presented and the outcomes of an international literature search statistically analysed. Participating countries were divided into three macro-regions according to their geographical location and political and historical tradition -Mediterranean, West-European and formerly East-European macro-regions. The outcome of correspondence analysis partially confirms the hypothesis on the cultural background of the health promotion activities and strategies. Concerning themes addressed by health promotion projects most countries belonging to the Mediterranean or "Western European" macro-regions have concentrated on similar themes whereas this is not valid for the countries of the "Former Eastern European" macro-region. The hypothesis on macro-regional similarities in relation to settings of health promotion projects was not confirmed. In the conclusions the location of the Czech Republic in an international perspective is discussed and three Czech selected best practice projects are evaluated in relation to the statistical findings.