Does proximity to children affect healthcare utilization outcomes among older adults in the Philippines
Date
2025-01-05
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Abstract
This study examines whether proximity to children influences healthcare utilization among older adults in the Philippines. Using nationally representative data from the 2018 Longitudinal Study of Ageing and Health in the Philippines (LSAHP), the analysis investigates how three tiers of proximity (co-resident, same barangay, and outside barangay) are associated with inpatient care, outpatient care, and unmet need for healthcare. Guided by Andersen’s Behavioural Model of Health Service Use, logistic regression models sequentially adjust for predisposing, enabling, and need factors. Results show that having a child living in the same barangay increases the odds of inpatient utilization relative to co-residence, suggesting that nearby children may facilitate access during acute health events. For outpatient care, proximity effects diminish after full adjustment, though men with same-barangay children exhibit lower utilization. Proximity does not significantly predict unmet healthcare needs. Across outcomes, health status indicators, particularly chronic diseases and functional limitations, are the strongest determinants of utilization, while socioeconomic disparities, especially wealth, substantially influence outpatient use and unmet need. Additionally, gendered patterns emerge in the role of proximity: having a son in the same barangay is associated with higher inpatient use among older men and women and lower outpatient use among older men. Overall, the findings highlight that while proximity offers some advantages, healthcare use among Filipino older adults is shaped more strongly by health needs and socioeconomic resources. The results underscore the importance of strengthening formal healthcare access and support systems alongside family-based care.
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proximity, healthcare utilization, LSAHP, inpatient utilization, outpatient utilization, unmet need for healthcare