Abstract
We have researched the effective factors concerning the medical care expenditure for diseases of the circulatory system of the aged in a town in Kanagawa prefecture in July, 1991. For the analysis, data was grouped into 6 types by the combination of primary-diagnosis and secondary-diagnosis: Primary-diagnosis was classified into diseases of the circulatory system, and diseases outside of the circulatory system. Secondary-diagnosis was classified into diseases of the circulatory system, diseases outside of the circulatory system, and no diseases. The results were as follows; (1) The average outpatient cost in the town investigated was less than that in Kanagawa prefecture, and that in the whole country. However, the proportions of costs of circulatory system diseases and outpatients are both at the top of the diseases. (2) 2 Particularly, it is clear that the number of hypertensive outpatients with cerebral hemorrhage is highest among both primary and secondary-diagnosis. (3) It is also clear that both costs and visits of patients with diseases of the circulatory system and those with diseases outside of the circulatory system are not significant. (4) Outpatient cost per a day is influenced by sex (male), age-group (70 to 74 years), diagnosis types and medication. We belive that these findings will be of value in determining the payment structure for geriatric medical care, and in the research methodology of medical costs under the Health and Medical Services Law for the Aged.
