A Vna Home Health Care Program

Abstract

Many studies have been compiled which report patient characteristics and patterns in the utilization of health care services. Very little information is available on the characteristics of patients who refuse sers'ices in a particular program. This article emplov s a sample of 246 home health care patients to describe the characteristics of persons refusing services compared to a group "normall/v " terminating service. The method employed is discriminant anal}sis. The results of the study are substantively consistent with the theoretical and empirical literature on health care utilization. Those refusing service were less likel/v to be insured and tended to have multiple admissions to the program. They Here less inclined to improve in functional status, despite a tendenc y toward a longer stay in the program. Curious/i', fewer nursing visits occurred for these patients, despite their longer stays. Itnplications of the studvfor program management are discussed.

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