Hyun Min Kyung
Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Korean Medicine, Dongguk University, Republic of Korea.
Saf Health Work. 2018 Dec;9(4):462-467. doi: 10.1016/j.shaw.2018.01.001. Epub 2018 Jan 12.
This study was conducted to investigate the effects of work on medical expenditures by the elderly.
Data pertaining to individuals aged 65 or older collected by the Korean Health Panel 2008-2013 were used. The effects of work on medical expenditures were analyzed in a panel tobit model adjusted for several variables of demographic factors, socioeconomic factors, and health factors for health care. Data were also analyzed based on age groups (65-74, 75≤), type of work (waged or self-employed), and working time (daytime work or night time work).
Among the elderly older than 65 years, 34-37% were workers. Work among the elderly reduced medical expenditures relative to nonworking elderly. Specifically, medical expenditures were lower in individuals older than 75 years, as well as among those who were self-employed insured and had medical aid insurance and those who exercised. However, medical expenditures were higher among females, married individuals, those with a higher household income, and those with a chronic disease. Elderly wageworkers showed reduced medical expenditures than nonworking elderly and elderly daytime workers did.
The elderly population's work, especially wage work and daytime work, reduced medical expenditures relative to no work. These results provide valuable information for policymakers by indicating that work was associated with lower medical expenditures than no work. If elderly work is to be encouraged, it is necessary to provide a variety of high-quality wage work.
本研究旨在调查工作对老年人医疗支出的影响。
使用韩国健康面板2008 - 2013年收集的65岁及以上个人的数据。在一个面板托宾模型中分析工作对医疗支出的影响，该模型针对人口统计学因素、社会经济因素和医疗保健健康因素的几个变量进行了调整。还根据年龄组（65 - 74岁、75岁及以上）、工作类型（受薪或自营职业）和工作时间（白天工作或夜间工作）对数据进行了分析。
在65岁以上的老年人中，34% - 37%为工作者。与不工作的老年人相比，老年人工作可降低医疗支出。具体而言，75岁以上的人群、自营职业参保且有医疗救助保险的人群以及进行锻炼的人群的医疗支出较低。然而，女性、已婚者、家庭收入较高者以及患有慢性病者的医疗支出较高。老年受薪工作者的医疗支出比不工作的老年人和老年白天工作者的医疗支出降低。
相对于不工作，老年人群的工作，尤其是受薪工作和白天工作，降低了医疗支出。这些结果表明工作与比不工作更低的医疗支出相关，为政策制定者提供了有价值的信息。如果要鼓励老年人工作，有必要提供各种高质量的受薪工作。
