Ju Yeong Jun, Kim Woorim, Chang Kyujin, Lee Tae Hoon, Lee Soon Young
Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Ajou University School of Medicine, 206 World cup-ro, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, 16499, Republic of Korea.
National Hospice Center, National Cancer Control Institute, National Cancer Center, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea.
BMC Public Health. 2024 Jul 31;24(1):2070. doi: 10.1186/s12889-024-19410-z.
Many municipalities in rural areas of Korea are facing population decline due to the aging population phenomenon. This study examined the relationship between residing in municipalities facing population decline and satisfaction with nearby healthcare infrastructure in older aged adults.
The 2021 Korea Community Health Survey (KCHS) data were used. Municipalities were classified as those not facing population decline, those at risk, and those facing population decline based on the Population Decline Index. The association between residing in municipalities facing population decline and satisfaction with nearby healthcare infrastructure was examined cross-sectionally using a multi-level logistic regression analysis. Satisfaction with available public transportation was concomitantly examined as it is related to accessing healthcare services.
Of the 58,568 individuals aged 65 years or above analyzed, 27,471 (46.9%) adults were residing in municipalities without population decline, 4,640 (7.9%) adults in municipalities at risk of population decline, and 26,457 (45.2%) in municipalities with population decline. Individuals living in municipalities with population decline were more likely to be dissatisfied with nearby healthcare infrastructure (OR 1.76, 95% CI 1.41-2.20). Similar tendencies were found for public transportation infrastructure (OR 1.67, 95% CI 1.38-2.03).
Individuals residing in municipalities with declining populations are more likely to report dissatisfaction with nearby healthcare infrastructure and public transportation. These findings emphasize the importance of providing adequate medical infrastructure to reduce potential health-related disparities.
由于人口老龄化现象，韩国农村地区的许多市政当局正面临人口减少的问题。本研究调查了居住在面临人口减少的市政当局与老年人对附近医疗基础设施满意度之间的关系。
使用2021年韩国社区健康调查（KCHS）数据。根据人口减少指数，市政当局被分为不面临人口减少的地区、有风险的地区和面临人口减少的地区。使用多水平逻辑回归分析对居住在面临人口减少的市政当局与对附近医疗基础设施满意度之间的关联进行横断面研究。由于公共交通与获得医疗服务有关，因此同时调查了对现有公共交通的满意度。
在分析的58568名65岁及以上的个体中，27471名（46.9%）成年人居住在人口未减少的市政当局，4640名（7.9%）成年人居住在有人口减少风险的市政当局，26457名（45.2%）成年人居住在人口减少的市政当局。居住在人口减少的市政当局的个体对附近医疗基础设施不满意的可能性更高（比值比1.76，95%置信区间1.41-2.20）。公共交通基础设施也有类似趋势（比值比1.67，95%置信区间1.38-2.03）。
居住在人口减少的市政当局的个体更有可能报告对附近医疗基础设施和公共交通不满意。这些发现强调了提供充足医疗基础设施以减少潜在健康相关差异的重要性。
