Factors Influencing Satisfaction with Medical Institutions according to Health Condition and Medical Use Condition of Single Elderly Households in Rural Areas: Using the Results of Survey on Rural Well-being 2021

This study examines the satisfaction with medical institutions by considering the type of medical usage satisfaction with medical institutions. The subjects were 1,251 single elderly households living in rural areas. Raw data was procured from the ‘Survey on Rural Well-being in 2021’. A stepwise regression analysis was conducted to identify the factors influencing satisfaction with medical institutions. Significant differences were obtained in satisfaction with medical institutions based on various factors, including educational background, monthly health care expenditure, happiness with life, subjective health status, satisfaction with own health status, health comparison with similar age groups, health status compared to the previous year, number of visits to medical institutions, means of transportation to medical institutions, required time, difficulty in treating diseases, satisfaction with medical personnel, and satisfaction with accessibility to medical facilities. The variables that significantly affected satisfaction with medical institutions were residence area, educational background, monthly health care expenditure, age, health status compared to the previous year, satisfaction with medical personnel, satisfaction with accessibility to medical facilities, primarily used medical institutions, number of visits to medical institutions, and difficulty in treating diseases. Based on the results, this study suggests policy alternatives tailored to consumers, specifically single-person elderly households in rural areas. These measures aim to improve access to medical institutions, reduce the burden of medical expenses, and enhance subjective health conditions.