Interest in Home Medical Care Among Middle-Aged and Older Residents Living in the Mountainous Areas of Sagamihara City

Objective In Japan, the aging population is rapidly increasing, with many older individuals preferring to spend their final days at home. However, despite ongoing policy efforts and efforts to promote home medical care, the transition from hospital to home remains slow, likely reflecting a mixture of system-level and patient-level factors. This study aimed to identify patient-related factors that influence awareness and interest in transitioning to home medical care using a questionnaire survey among residents aged 45 years and older in rural Sagamihara City. Patients and methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted at three rural clinics in Sagamihara City between January and December 2023. Factors influencing interest in home healthcare among participants aged 45 years and older, including age, self-rated health, travel time to clinics, hospitalization history, multiple clinic visits, household composition, and transportation methods, were examined. Statistical analyses utilized Cochran-Armitage trend tests for ordinal variables and Pearson's χ^² tests for categorical variables. Results Interest in home healthcare increased with age, reaching 51 of 69 respondents (73.9%) among those aged 85 years and older. In addition, 700 of 793 respondents (88.3%) indicated that home healthcare in their residential area needs improvement, and this percentage tended to increase with age. Lower self-perceived health and longer travel time to medical facilities were also associated with higher interest in home-based medical care. Women and those relying on family-driven private vehicles showed greater interest in home-based medical care. No statistically significant differences were observed for hospitalization history, multiple clinic visits, or household composition, although certain trends were noted. Conclusion Older age, lower self-perceived health, and longer hospital visit times were associated with greater interest in home medical care. Significant differences were also observed in sex and private car use. These findings may suggest a need to enhance home healthcare services tailored to patients' specific needs.