Determinants of Death at Home of Residents Based on Statistical Data Among Two Regions of Gifu Prefecture, Japan

Abstract

The percentages of residents who died at home were compared between the Ibi-Motosu and Hida regions located far-off in the north and west of Gifu Prefecture, Japan, respectively. Residents aged 85 and over, or those who died of senility without mention of psychosis, showed a higher proportion of death at home in both regions. Among those who died at less than 75 years, or those who died of heart diseases, a greater percentage of residents were found to have died suddenly; sudden death raised the proportion of death at home. Influences of external causes of death on the proportion of death at home were minimal. Comparison among the percentages of death at home and relating factors of 30 municipalities in two regions clarified that the percentages correlated positively with death rates by heart diseases and senility without mention of psychosis, and average number of household members. The proportion of those dying at home aged 65 or more showed a tendency to be higher in the Ibi-Motosu region than in the Hi a region. It was suggested that the differences of the proportion of death at home of elderly people between the two regions were caused chiefly by a lower ratio of hospital beds per 100000 populaiton and a higher number of household members in the Ibi-Motosu region compared to the Hida region.