Patterns of Outpatient Visits by Japanese Male Expatriates in Thailand

Abstract

Patterns of Outpatient Visits by Japanese Male Expatriates in Thailand: Rie SAKAI, et al. Department of Public Health, Juntendo University School of Medicine-Objective of this study is to clarify the health-related conditions of Japanese male expatriates in Thailand. Records of Japanese male expatriates in their 30s to 50s who consulted outpatient clinics at Bangkok Hospital in 2005 were analyzed for number and type of outpatient visits then compared with data from the "Patient Survey" 2005 for agematched males in Japan. "Diseases of the respiratory system" and "Certain infectious and parasitic diseases" had a higher rate of diagnosis among Japanese men living in Thailand than those living in Japan. "Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases," and "Mental and behavioral disorders" had a lower rate of diagnosis among Japanese men living in Thailand than those in Japan. "Acute upper respiratory infections" accounted for 87.4% of "Diseases of the respiratory system" and "intestinal infections" accounted for 59.9% of "Certain infectious and parasitic diseases" among expatriates. Japanese male expatriates have a tendency of not visiting hospital when they have no subjective or objective symptoms. To support a healthy expatriate life, health information should be propagated widely and available support services, such as counseling via e-mail or fax, should be actively promoted. Expatriates should be informed of the availability of these services before they go abroad and during their stay. (J Occup Health 2008; 50: 103-113)

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

“…As expected, treatment for chronic diseases in the cohort was more commonly observed than among working-age Japanese living in Thailand [8, 23]. However, half of the people who saw a doctor for indicator diseases such as hypertension or diabetes in the previous 12 months did so only in Japan.…”

“…The largest group of foreign patients are Japanese [6, 7], most of whom are expatriates [8]. Currently there are few medical tourists from Japan since the Japanese universal health insurance scheme allows Japanese to get quality health care in Japan at a moderate price.…”

“…Secondly, older people require more frequent treatment compared to younger age groups due to a higher prevalence of chronic diseases. Previous surveys conducted in the 2000s revealed that among Japanese adults visiting or living in Thailand, the most common causes for seeking treatment were acute respiratory diseases, acute digestive tract disorders, and infections; chronic diseases such as metabolic disorders or circulatory diseases had lower proportions [8, 23]. However, the volume and pattern of medical service use may be shifting due to the increase in the number of Japanese retirees in recent years.…”