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This study investigates the relationship between medical utilization of NHI beneficiaries and variables related to their social and financial conditions. Based on data derived from the surveys of family income and expenditure over the years of 1999, 2000, and 2001, held by the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics, Executive Yuan, this study chooses to focus on beneficiaries who have been outpatients and beneficiaries who have been hospitalized. By employing CHAID, CART, and contingency analysis, this study examines different types of NHI medical utilization, in order to understand what influence was brought by each variable and how medical resources were utilized.
This study finds that the number of NHI beneficiaries as outpatients was greatly influenced by such variables as age, marital status, education, and occupation. The number revealed a U-distribution, indicating that preschool and aged beneficiaries took a greater number of outpatient services. The same held true of married or cohabitated beneficiaries. On the other hand, well-educated beneficiaries were less likely to take outpatient services, while middle-aged beneficiaries who were working represented a great number of outpatients. In terms of its variables, the number of NHI beneficiaries as outpatients grew along with beneficiaries’ ages; this was true for beneficiaries who were aged, unemployed, and without a married life, and for beneficiaries who were working, with an educational level below elementary school. The greatest average number of outpatients was 13 times (year/client), which came from beneficiaries who were not working, with an educational level below elementary education, and from beneficiaries whose educational level was above junior high school. The smallest average number of outpatients was 6 times (year/client), which came from beneficiaries who were younger than 64, remained single, and kept an educational level above junior high school.
This study also finds that the number of NHI beneficiaries as hospitalized patients were greatly influenced by two variables: age and disposable income per household. Aged beneficiaries spent more days of hospital stay. The same held true of beneficiaries among the highest 20 percent of disposable income per household. In terms of its variables, beneficiaries who were older than 45 tended to spent more days of hospital stay, following the increase of disposable income per household. The greatest average number of hospital stay was 12 days (year/client), which came from beneficiaries who were older than 45 with an income among the fourth 20 percent or the highest 20 percent of disposable income per household. The smallest average number of hospital stay was 5 days (year/client), which came from beneficiaries who were younger than 44, with an income among the lowest 20 percent of disposable income per household.
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