Caner Asena, Cilasun Seyit Mumin
Department of Economics, TOBB University of Economics and Technology, Ankara, Turkey.
Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey, Ankara, Turkey.
Gerontol Geriatr Med. 2019 Jan 22;5:2333721418822868. doi: 10.1177/2333721418822868. eCollection 2019 Jan-Dec.
With the implementation of the health transformation program, Turkey has gone through substantial changes in its health system in the last decade. This study relies on two nationally representative data sets to investigate health service utilization and satisfaction of the elderly. In particular, it examines the share of elderly who have an unmet need for medical care and who could not afford a medical examination or treatment over the years 2006 to 2015, using data from the Turkish Survey of Income and Living Conditions. It also examines the utilization of health services and satisfaction from these services by the elderly in years 2004 to 2015 using data from the Turkish Life Satisfaction Survey. This study finds that utilization has increased and, coinciding with the introduction of the family medicine system, the percentage of patients choosing primary care facilities has increased. The share of the elderly with unmet need and those who could not afford health care have declined. Notwithstanding, overall satisfaction increased only until 2011-2012. Understanding the utilization and satisfaction of the elderly is important, because along with many other countries, the population is aging in Turkey. In the near future, health care needs of the elderly will have a higher priority on the agenda of policy makers.
随着健康转型计划的实施，土耳其的卫生系统在过去十年中经历了重大变革。本研究依靠两个具有全国代表性的数据集来调查老年人的卫生服务利用情况和满意度。具体而言，它利用土耳其收入和生活条件调查的数据，考察了2006年至2015年期间有医疗需求未得到满足以及无力承担体检或治疗费用的老年人的比例。它还利用土耳其生活满意度调查的数据，考察了2004年至2015年期间老年人对卫生服务的利用情况以及对这些服务的满意度。本研究发现，卫生服务利用率有所提高，并且与家庭医疗系统的引入同时，选择初级保健机构的患者比例有所增加。有需求未得到满足的老年人以及无力承担医疗保健费用的老年人的比例有所下降。尽管如此，总体满意度仅在2011 - 2012年之前有所提高。了解老年人的卫生服务利用情况和满意度很重要，因为与许多其他国家一样，土耳其的人口正在老龄化。在不久的将来，老年人的医疗保健需求将在政策制定者的议程上占据更高的优先级。
