[Objective and subjective determinants in the benefits of home help services for the elderly].

In this paper, we analyze the factors related to the allocation of home help services, a main component for maintaining elderly at home. The study is based on a random sample of 889 people aged 65 and over, living at home in the areas of Lunel and Pézenas (Hérault, France). The factors taken into account were disabilities, income, social support, and subjective health assessed through the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP). A logistic model allowed to bring out the factors related to the delivery of home help services. Positive statistical correlations were found for age (OR = 1.6 per 10-year age groups), disabilities for instrumental activities of daily living (OR = 3.8) and for the notion of mobility assessed through the NHP (OR = 3.3); negative statistical correlations were found for the level of income (OR = 0.3), as well as for disabilities for activities of daily living (physical dependency) (OR = 0.5). These results show that the main criterion for allocating home help services is not severe disability and that subjective aspects play an important part. Accordingly, current practices should be modified to obtain a better targeting of home help services for disabled elderly at home.