A Comprehensive Study on Home Care Needs Among Elderly in an Urban Area of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Abstract

Homecare service for elderly has been available in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam since 2009, but it is unknown whether homecare needs of elderly are met. Therefore, the objective of the study is to investigate homecare needs among elderly with the aim of providing baseline information to inform policy development to improve homecare services in the city.A cross-sectional study was conducted from 12 July to 12 November, 2015. Three hundred and nine older adults (≥ 60 years old) living in the District 12 of Ho Chi Minh City were randomly chosen and completed interviews using a structured questionnaire. Chi Square tests or ANOVA tests were used to examine the significant associations between elderly characteristics and homecare needs.The mean scores of activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) were 5.72 out of 6 and 5.16 out of 8, respectively. The mean score of Affect Balance was 6.23 out of 10. Only 54 of 309 participants (17.48%) had home health care needs, whereas 274 (88.67%) participants had health information needs. Factors having statistically significant associations with homecare needs included older age, male gender, low allowance, living alone and higher number of comorbidities.Elderly in District 12 had low ADLs needs, low psychological needs, low health care needs, but high health information needs and IADLs needs. Services including private care service, chatting service, home health care and health information services may be developed to meet those needs.

Keywords: homecare needs, elderly, ADLs, IADLs