Purpose
This study aimed to examine the prevalence of unmet healthcare needs and the factors that influence unmet healthcare needs among older people with cognitive impairment. Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive design with secondary data from the 2017 National Survey of Older Koreans was used in this study. Data from 1,382 people over the age of 65 years with cognitive impairments were analyzed. Logistic regression analysis was conducted based on Andersen’s Behavioral Model of Health Services Use.
Results
Overall, 9.6% of the participants reported unmet healthcare needs during the previous 12 months. The main reasons for unmet healthcare needs were financial constraints (45.4%), mobility limitation (18.0%), and mildness of symptoms (14.9%). Higher unmet healthcare needs were significantly associated with fewer years of education, no family members providing caregiving or assistance with hospital visits, fewer close relatives, lower income, greater impairment in activities of daily living, and presence of depressive symptoms.
Conclusion
Our findings indicate that predisposing factors, enabling factors, and need factors were significantly associated with unmet healthcare needs among elderly individuals with cognitive impairment. Therefore, it is necessary to establish healthcare policies and strategies to improve the accessibility of healthcare services.

Citations

• Community-Dwelling Older Adults’ Intended Use of Different Types of Long-Term Care in China and Its Associated Factors Based on the Andersen Behavioral Model
  Run-Ping Che, Mei-Chun Cheung
  International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.2022; 19(18): 11626.     CrossRef
• Factors Affecting Unmet Healthcare Needs among Adults with Chronic Diseases
  Ji-Young Han, Hyeon-Sook Park
  Journal of Korean Academy of Community Health Nursing.2021; 32(2): 131.     CrossRef
• Association between the severity of new-onset depression and unmet healthcare needs of South Korean adults
  Su Yeon Kim, Wonjeong Jeong, Eun-Cheol Park, Sohee Park, Sung-In Jang, Arista Lahiri
  PLOS ONE.2021; 16(8): e0256222.     CrossRef
• The Effects of Social Networks of the Older Adults with Limited Instrumental Activities of Daily Living on Unmet Medical Needs
  Hye-Young Jang, Young Ko, Song-Yi Han
  International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.2020; 18(1): 27.     CrossRef
• Unmet Healthcare Needs of Children in Vulnerable Families in South Korea: Finding from the Community Child Center Child Panel Survey
  Suyon Baek, Eun-Hi Choi, Jungeun Lee
  International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.2020; 17(21): 8241.     CrossRef

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to identify the perception about the elderly among undergraduate students interested in the elderly care business.
METHOD
In this descriptive research, a total of 183 undergraduate students were participated. The instrument was consisted of a 18-item semantic differential scale developed by Sanders et al (1984). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Scheffe test, Pearson's correlation coefficients by SPSS 18.0.
RESULT
Undergraduate students' perception about the elderly was slightly positive(2.98+/-1.51). The significant factors associated with the perception about the elderly were gender, age, present residing state with the elderly, experience of residing with the elderly at the past. Male students' perception about the elderly was more positive than female. Among 18 items, 'wise' and 'knowledgeable' was highly related to the perception about the elderly(r=.671, p=.001).
CONCLUSION
These findings indicate that the items of optimistic, attractive, flexible and good were the impressive perceptions about the elderly for the undergraduate students. The result of this study can be utilized to promote perception about the elderly among undergraduate students.