Effects of integrated care on the subjective quality of life and social relationships of older adults in South Korea

Abstract

Objectives

This study examined the effects of integrated care on the subjective quality of life and social relationships of older adults in South Korea.

Methods

We combined data from the National Health Insurance Service and a survey of older adults across local governments participating in a pilot project for integrated care and the final number of study subjects was 9,924 participants. To compare before and after participation in the pilot project, regression analysis was performed using the generalized estimation equations. The dependent variables were subjective quality of life and social relationships comprising the number of people who can help and the number of people met.

Results

Older adults’ subjective quality of life significantly improved by 0.35 points, and the number of people who could help them significantly increased by 0.09 people after participation in the pilot project for integrated care. The results were similar when analyzed by sex and age. When analyzed by sex, subjective quality of life increased by 0.36 for men and by 0.34 for women. The number of people who can help increased by 0.12 for men and by 0.07 for women. As a results of analysis according to age, subjective quality of life significantly increased by 0.45 for older adults aged 65–74, by 0.31 for older adults aged 75 and over. The number of people who can help significantly increased by 0.13 for older adults aged 65–74 and by 0.07 for aged 75 and over. The number of people met decreased slightly overall.

Discussion

Integrated care in Korea has increased life satisfaction among older adults and strengthened their social relationships by enabling them to live in their own homes and communities instead of nursing hospitals or facilities. This study is the first to evaluate the achievements of an integrated care conducted in Korea in terms of subjective quality of life and social relationships, and this can serve as the basis for developing integrated care in the future.