TITLE:
Clarifying Problems with Emergency Healthcare Systems in Japanese Long-Term Care Facilities for Older People
AUTHORS:
Nobuhiro Sato, Kohei Akazawa, Yuji Mitadera, Tsubasa Suzuki, Nahoko Ibe, Yasuo Hirose
KEYWORDS:
Older People, Emergency Healthcare System, Japan, Long-Term Care, Staffing Problems
JOURNAL NAME:
Health,
Vol.9 No.8,
August
23,
2017
ABSTRACT: Background: Long-term care facilities for older people play an important role as alternatives to family care in an aging society. This study aimed to assess staffing problems linked to emergency healthcare for residents of these facilities, and to investigate the relationship between these problems and the characteristics of the facilities. Methods: The study surveyed managers of long-term care facilities for older people in a Japanese urban area between September and December 2014. The type of care facility, the number of staff and any problems providing or accessing emergency healthcare for the residents were evaluated. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to explore the factors common to facilities reporting staffing problems linked to emergency healthcare of residents. Results: In total, 321 long-term care facilities were eligible for this study and 226 (70%) returned the questionnaire. We compared the characteristics of facilities reporting and not reporting staffing problems in emergency healthcare of residents. The type of care facility was significantly associated with staffing problems in emergency healthcare of residents both during the day (p