Preventative care utilization and associated health-related measurements among older adults following the 2009 health reform in China

Purpose It is unclear if older adults' preventive health care utilization is associated with better health in China, as the elderly population and prevalence of chronic disease have escalated. Methods Applying the Donabedian's model for evaluating quality of health care, we analyzed data from the 2012 and 2014 waves of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey with 5304 older adults 65 years old and above. The study used propensity score matching to decrease selection bias on preventive care utilization. Preventive care utilization was defined as the use of annual physical examination at least once a year among older adults. Three ordered logistic regression models were performed to evaluate preventive care utilization and three health-related measurements of current health status, overall health status improvement in the past 12 months, and life satisfaction, controlling for socioeconomic, demographic, and biological factors. Results Older adults who used preventive care reported better health status, overall health status improvement in the past 12 months, and life satisfaction (adjusted odds ratios [AORs] = 1.24, 1.20, 1.30, respectively; all Ps < 0.01), compared with participants who did not use preventive care. Conclusion The research findings suggest that the Chinese central government should continue to enhance the role of preventive care services with further reforms in order to improve older adults' health and life conditions.