Medical hyperhealthresource in older and health.

Abstract

The demographic aging of the population, its intensification in the medium term and the increase in pharmacological, health and social services expenses of the elderly puts the economic sustainability of the public health budget at risk, which is why it is necessary to improve the effectiveness of this spending. The aim of this study is to conduct a review of the state of the question about the excessive use, by some elderly people, of health services. In a way that defines the profile of that elder and the habits that characterize it. A systematic review has been carried out in the Scopus, Pubmed and Web of Science databases using as descriptors: medical frequent attenders, health expenditure, elderly people and quality of life. According to the studies consulted, a person older than 65 years spends 3.2 times more in health than younger people, consuming 40.3 of the total health expenditure. From the subjective approach, it focuses on the personal perception of health, an aspect that is essential when it comes to predicting or seeking medical help. In fact, the perception of one’s health condition is more associated with the use of health services than the subject’s own clinical or pathological condition. Another of the most relevant problems in the investigation of the state of health is the importance of self-concept and self-esteem, together with the state of mind of the subject, in the evaluation made by the same of his health status. Both a low self-esteem and states and depressive processes tend to be associated with a negative evaluation of the same and all this, to require greater use of health services, without there being, in many cases, a real need for medical attention.

Keywords

• hiperfrecuentación médica
• personas mayores
• calidad de vida
• salud
• gasto en salud