Care and Health

Based on innovative models and detailed health data, this study examines – for the first time for Austria – correlations between the health care services received by older persons and the long-term care allowance system. The first-time receipt of long-term care allowance can be predicted relatively well. Age, inpatient stays in hospitals, contacts with general practitioners and remedies affecting the nervous system correlate most strongly with the first-time receipt of long-term care allowance. When moving to a higher care allowance level, the factors with the strongest statistical correlation are the already existing care allowance level, age and remedies related to the nervous system. The existing care allowance level also correlates strongly with the entry into inpatient long-term care, as does the frequency of contacts with general practitioners and age. The duration of hospital stays of recipients of long-term care benefits is statistically correlated with the previous health diagnosis of essential (primary) hypertension as well as recent computer tomographies of the head and neck or of the abdomen and pelvis. The study draws health policy conclusions from these findings.