ABSTRACT

The Government of Nepal provides a range of welfare schemes to senior citizens, but little is known about the use of public benefits by older adults. This community-based cross-sectional survey thus aims to assess the utilization and correlates of health services (through both private and public health facilities), free essential health services (provided by the government through public health facilities), and other welfare schemes – discounts in health treatment for certain diseases, monthly senior citizen allowance, reservation and concession in transportation, and the government-run health insurance program – among 201 Nepali older adults. Notably, a sizable proportion of the participants (22.4%) did not visit a health facility despite having a health problem. Females and those with higher co-morbidity had higher odds of health facility visits. Only 8% utilized the free essential health services, and 47% one or more of the other welfare schemes. Lack of awareness of free health services and welfare schemes were associated with lower odds of their utilization, respectively.

摘要

尼泊尔政府为老年人提供了一系列福利计划，但对于老年人使用公共福利知之甚少。因此，这项基于社区的横断面调查旨在评估（通过私人和公共卫生设施）卫生服务，免费的基本卫生服务（政府通过公共卫生设施提供）以及其他福利计划（折扣）的利用和相关性包括201名尼泊尔老年人在内的某些疾病的医疗保健，月度老年人津贴，交通的预订和优惠以及政府运营的健康保险计划。值得注意的是，尽管有健康问题，但是仍有相当一部分参与者（22.4％）没有去医疗机构。女性和合并症较高的人去医疗机构看病的几率更高。只有8％的人使用了免费的基本卫生服务，而47％的人则选择了一项或多项其他福利计划。缺乏对免费卫生服务和福利计划的认识分别与较低的利用几率有关。