Health Expenditures and Unmet Health Care Needs of Single-Person Households between Pre-Baby Boomer and Baby Boomer Generations: A Secondary Data Analysis

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to compare the health expenditure and unmet health care needs and factors associated with these, in single-person households pre- and post-baby boomer generation, and of baby boomers. Methods: This cross-sectional study used secondary data from the 2016 Korea Health Panel Study, which was conducted to investigate the factors associated with health expenditures and unmet healthcare needs of single-person households through hierarchical multiple regression analysis. Results: The subjective health status of a single household showed a significant interaction with pre-baby boomers (β=.16, p=.045) in health expenditure. Identifying as men (OR=1.59, p=.046) and subjective health status (OR=1.90, p=.001) were statistically significant in terms of unmet healthcare needs. However, there was no significant interaction between pre-baby boomers and unmet healthcare needs. Conclusion: Baby boomers are the first to be prepared for their later years in the current aging society. Despite a stable financial status due to vital economic activities, social support for baby boomers is inadequate. The rights guaranteed to family members under the system centered around kinship should also be guaranteed to single-person households.