Eun-Jeong Han

Factors Related to Family Caregivers' Burden with the Community-Dwelling Disabled Elderly under the Long-Term Care Insurance System

Background: Informal care is increasingly recognized as placing a significant burden on the lives of family caregivers. The purpose of this study is to investigate factors related to family caregivers’ burden with the community-dwelling disabled elderly under the long-term care insurance system, using the Stress Process Model developed by Pearlin (1990).Methods: Total 1,233 family caregivers with the disabled elderly, using the long-term care services in their home from May to June 2009, completed questionnaires finally. The questionnaire of this study consists of a total of 32 questions, including 11 questions related to background and context, 17 questions related to objective stressors, and 4 questions related to coping resourses. Family caregivers’ bur-den is measured by the Korean Revised Caregiving Appraisal Scale (K-RCAS, Cronbach’s alpha=0.86). To investigate factors related to family caregivers’ burden, multiple regression analysis was conducted.Results: The average score of caregivers’ burden was 22.0 (±6.12). In multiple regression analysis, there were statistically significant fac-tors affecting on the family caregivers’ burden, that are related to background and context (region, living status, education level, relation-ship with beneficiary), objective stressors (duration of caregiving), coping resourses (caregiver’s health status).Conclusion: This study found that family caregivers experience a considerable burden. The findings suggest that policies must be taken to relieve family caregivers of their duties temporarily, and to support them with counselling and education.Keywords: Family caregivers; Burden; Elderly; Long-term care insurance

Factors Related to Family Caregiver Financial Burden of Out-Of Pocket Expenses for the Nursing home service under Long-term Care Insurance System

The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors affecting family caregiver financial burden of out-of pocket expenses for the nursing home service under Long-term Care Insurance System. We conducted a national cross-sectional descriptive survey from July to September 2010 to collect data based on the long-term care benefits cost specification. Total 1,016 family caregivers completed questionnaires. 185 subjects of total were excluded from the data analysis due to being answered by user(18 cases), or caregivers not to pay for services expenditures(122 cases), having a missing data on family caregivers characteristics(45 cases). Finally, 831 subjects were included in the study. The average financial burden was 3.18(). We divided subjects into two groups by level of burden, high-burden group and low-burden group. In the result of the multiple logistic regression analysis, family caregiver financial burden was significantly higher in family caregivers with ages 40 to 49 compared to less than 40, lower educational level, unsatisfaction for long-term care service, high percentage(more than 50%) of cost-sharing and high total out-of pocket expenses(more than 300,000 won) for long-term care services. Also, Family caregivers who are spouse felt higher financial burden compared to son. This study is meaningful as the first attempt to measure family caregiver financial burden for long-term care service and to identify factors affecting the financial burden. Family caregivers felt financial burden of out-of pocket expenses for the nursing home service. The policy makers, the insurer, and the providers need to pay attention to ease family caregiver financial burden.

A Decision-support System for Care Plan in Long-term Care Insurance

National Health Insurance Service(NHIS) provide care-plans for beneficiaries in the long-term care insurance(LTCI) systems that help them use LTC services appropriately. The care-plan includes recommendations for the most adequate type of care (gold standard) for beneficiaries. This study develops a decision-support system to determine the appropriate type of care plan. To develop a model, we used a data set that welltrained assessors in the NHIS investigated as a gold standard for beneficiaries: nursing home care, home-visit care, home-visit bathing, home-visit nursing, or day and night care. The decision-support system was established through a decision-tree model, because it may be easy to explain the algorithm of a decision-support system to working groups and policy makers. Our results might be useful in evidence-based care planning in an LTCI system and contribute to the efficient use of LTC services.

Factors affecting regional rate of certification in Korean Long-term Care Insurance

This study is to investigate the factors affecting the regional rate of certification for long-term care insurance benefits. Analyzed data were the 253,935 certified beneficiaries (equivalent to 4.9% of total elderly population) as long-term care degree (LTC degree) 1~3 extracted from the applicants for long-term care in the beginning stage of the system from April 15 2008 to July 1 2009. Although the data were collected from individuals, after restructured into regional data and then analysed in the unit of 225 administrative regions for the Korean Long-term Care Insurance. The rate of certification was operated as the percentage of people of LTC degree 1~3 to the elderly population in each region. The average rate of certification among regions was 4.91%, and ranged from 2.20% to 8.32%. In the analysing regression models, most socio-demographic variables, applicants` disease characteristics, regional service infrastructure, and the certification interviewer`s characteristics were included. The most influencing variables were the disease factors of applicants, especially dementia or cerebrovascular disease rather than arthritis, osteoporosis, or fracture patients were strong factors for the regional rate of certification. However, advanced studies adding more explainable factors on the regional variance of certification rate would be necessary to provide political agenda and measures for evidence-based certification process with high reliability and validity for a sustainable LTC system in Korea.

A study on the present status and improving management of the non-eligible people in Korean long-term care insurance system

To vitalize the link program of Korean long-term care insurance system to community-based services for non-eligible people, we analysed the claim data from the Korean National Health Insurance Corporation (NHIC), and conducted a questionnaire survey to charging employees of elderly service department at local governments. The subjects were all 81,377 people, 57,454 of them were arranged to community-based services. The link program was more necessary among the missed subjects rather than the arranged people due to the need for physical or psychological assistance. By the result of the survey to the local government employees, 59.5% of subjects responded their proportion of link service was over 10% and under 20%, and 54.3% of them responded their job boundary are not clear. Major type of linking was notification the subject list to local government, 91.4%; proportion of periodical notification on the status of their service link were 57.1%, only 7.1% were followed to manage after the link. Difficult factors at the link process were pointed out the overload by other side work, deficiency of resources, rigidity of priority of link, and so on. Considering these results, to vitalize the community-based services to the non-eligible people, it may be essential the active participation of the subjects, construction of parts working in coordination among the institutions including NHIC, local governments, and service providers; development of various services for maintenance or promotion of the non-eligible peoples` health and functional status; and active participation of institutions from the third sector, and so on.

Factors related to Family Caregiver Satisfaction with the Institutional care services under the Public Long-Term Care Insurance system

This study examined the factors related to family caregiver satisfaction with institutional care services for beneficiaries under the Public Long-Term Care Insurance(PLTCI) system. Determining what contributes to family caregiver satisfaction is a critical step toward implementing effective quality improvement strategies. A national cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted from November to December 2008, using proportionate quota sampling based on the location and level of Long-Term Care of the beneficiaries. Total 1,745 family caregivers wrote informed consents and 733 (response rate 42%) completed questionnaires, which included caregiver characteristics, organizational resources, primary objective and subjective stressors, perceived quality of services, and family caregiver satisfaction. Family caregivers were satisfied overall with institutional care. In multiple regression analysis, there was a statistically significant difference in degree of family caregiver satisfaction according to caregiver characteristics(relationship to beneficiary), primary objective stressors (insurance type of beneficiary), perceived quality of services(respect to family caregivers` idea, ADL support, expertness of staff, careful concern of staff, fulfillment of client`s requests, and safety of institution`s environment). In public long-term care, satisfaction efforts are in an early stage of development. This study is meaningful as the first attempt to measure family caregiver satisfaction with institutional care for beneficiaries under the PLTCI system, and to identify factors affecting the satisfaction. Among the identified factors, the policy makers, the insurer, and the providers need to pay attention to perceived quality of services, in particular, to improve customer satisfaction. Our findings can provide quality care improvement initiatives in the public long-term care setting.

A Target Selection Model for the Counseling Services in Long-Term Care Insurance

In the long-term care insurance (LTCI) system, National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) provide counseling services for beneficiaries and their family caregivers, which help them use LTC services appropriately. The purpose of this study was to develop a Target Selection Model for the Counseling Services based on needs of beneficiaries and their family caregivers. To develope models, we used data set of total 2,000 beneficiaries and family caregivers who have used the long-term care services in their home in March 2013 and completed questionnaires. The Target Selection Model was established through various data-mining models such as logistic regression, gradient boosting, Lasso, decision-tree model, Ensemble, and Neural network. Lasso model was selected as the final model because of the stability, high performance and availability. Our results might improve the satisfaction and the efficiency for the NHIS counseling services.

Is the amount of the medical care utilization affected by the cash benefits for patients in the geriatric hospital

Korean Government had performed three pilot programs to introduce the long term care insurance system. Persons aged 65 or older who are dependent on others for daily living could use long term care services in the pilot program. The long-term care insurance covered nursing home services, home care services and cash benefits. The cash benefits are included that for elderly at home and for patients in geriatric hospital. This study investigated whether there had been any change in the medical care utilization according to cash benefits for geriatric hospitalization. This study used National Health Insurance claims and Long term Care Insurance claims 2003 through 2006. Data were composed of subjects who undertook both insurance coverage. The subjects was divided into two groups. Case group included participants with the cash benefits of geriatric hospitalization. Control group included persons without the cash benefits selected by random sampling according to the distribution of case group. This study showed that the amount of medical care utilization of the case group is more significantly increased than the control group after adjusted their health condition and functional condition. This result will be helpful for making decisions on whether the cash benefit of geriatric hospitalization can be introduced into long term care insurance system.