{"id":84502,"date":"2025-05-27T12:00:50","date_gmt":"2025-05-27T03:00:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/?p=84502"},"modified":"2025-05-21T12:46:08","modified_gmt":"2025-05-21T03:46:08","slug":"life-in-a-nutshell-new-species-found-in-the-carapace-of-late-cretaceous-marine-turtle-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-3-3-2-2-3-2-3-2-2-2-3-2-2-2-3-3-2-2-3-2-2-3-3-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/news\/84502","title":{"rendered":"How Japan\u2019s Older Adults Adapted to Healthcare Challenges During the COVID-19 Pandemic"},"content":{"rendered":"

How Japan\u2019s Older Adults Adapted to Healthcare Challenges During the COVID-19 Pandemic<\/strong><\/h1>\n

Researchers analyze trends in healthcare utilization among older Japanese adults during the extended COVID-19 pandemic<\/em><\/p>\n

In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, precautionary measures were swiftly adopted. While the early pandemic effects were studied extensively, little is known about long-term impacts on vulnerable groups like the elderly. Researchers in Japan analyzed healthcare use and socioeconomic disparities among older adults during the prolonged pandemic. Their findings reveal both resilience and inequality\u2014offering crucial insights into how healthcare systems can adapt to maintain access for aging populations during extended public health emergencies.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Image title<\/strong>: Trends in healthcare utilization among older Japanese adults during the extended COVID-19 pandemic
\n<\/sup>Image caption<\/strong>: Initial responses to the COVID-19 outbreak have been well assessed and documented. However, the impact of the extended phases of the pandemic, particularly on vulnerable populations, remains unclear. Researchers from Waseda University, Japan, have analyzed trends in healthcare utilization among older adults aged 75 years and above during the prolonged pandemic. The study provides novel insights into healthcare adaptations that can improve accessibility for the elderly while minimizing their crisis-related risk.
\n<\/sup>Image credit<\/strong>: Rong Fu from the Faculty of Commerce, Waseda University, Japan
\n<\/sup>License type<\/strong>: Original content
\n<\/sup>Usage restrictions<\/strong>: Cannot be reused without permission.<\/sup><\/p>\n

Public healthcare emergencies, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, can drastically disrupt healthcare systems with long-term repercussions. The effects of such healthcare crises are more pronounced in the aging population, who are particularly vulnerable to chronic infections and sudden disruptions in healthcare.<\/p>\n

The COVID-19 outbreak that emerged in December 2019 quickly spread worldwide, and several emergency measures were urgently implemented to curb its transmission. During the initial phase of the pandemic, stringent measures like social distancing, isolation, and mandatory wearing of masks were implemented. Unfortunately, older individuals were at a higher risk of acquiring the infection and were more likely to experience negative outcomes. The fear of infection, coupled with the state of emergency (SoE) declarations, has led to older adults refraining from seeking necessary medical care.<\/p>\n

While initial responses to the pandemic have been well-documented, its long-term impact on healthcare utilization and access among the elderly remains unclear. Furthermore, the prolonged pandemic was characterized by the spread of relatively less virulent strains, gradual relaxation of stringent measures, and widespread vaccination, with limited data on the effect of this transition.<\/p>\n

To bridge this knowledge gap, researchers from Waseda University, Japan, sought to analyze the effects of the extended phase\u2014from November 2021 to September 2022\u2014on older adults in Japan, one of the world\u2019s most aged societies with a universal healthcare system. The team comprised of Associate Professor Rong Fu from the Faculty of Commerce, master\u2019s student Sizhe Liu from the Graduate School of Commerce, Assistant Professor Masato Oikawa from the Faculty of Education and Integrated Arts and Sciences, Professor Haruko Noguchi from the Faculty of Political Science and Economics, and Professor Akira Kawamura from the Faculty of Human Sciences.<\/p>\n

Explaining the rationale behind their research, Fu, the lead author, says, \u201cAs populations age globally, maintaining healthcare access during public health emergencies becomes increasingly critical. Our research addresses this challenge by providing insights into how healthcare systems can balance infection control with continued access to essential services for vulnerable elderly populations.\u201d <\/em>Their findings were published online in Scientific Reports<\/em><\/a> by Nature Research on April 22, 2025.<\/p>\n

The researchers used a comprehensive dataset of 189,841,257 medical claims linked with income tax records from the long-term care insurance system to analyze trends in healthcare utilization among Japan\u2019s oldest-old population aged 75 years and above. They correlated trends in healthcare access and utilization with the implementation of public health measures, crisis severity, and socioeconomic status.<\/p>\n

The analysis revealed that the implementation of precautionary measures led to a modest drop in the use of medical services and outpatient visits. Nevertheless, healthcare costs and services remained stable despite a decrease in patient volumes. The use of medical services varied across different residential areas depending on crisis severity and the extent of precautionary measures. Notably, there was no difference in healthcare utilization across different income levels except for dental services. Dental care visits by older adults with a lower income were significantly lower than high-income groups, highlighting socioeconomic disparities in dental care during public emergencies.<\/p>\n

Overall, these findings suggest that healthcare adaptations can address the needs of the elderly during medical emergencies and help avoid medical delays with dire consequences. Adaptations may include integrated monitoring systems, enhanced safety protocols to bridge gaps in preventive dental care, early warning systems, and flexible delivery options, such as remote or mobile care, to improve accessibility for vulnerable groups.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur findings can help inform policymakers who devise targeted interventions to prevent socioeconomic disparities in healthcare access from widening during crises. Additionally, for healthcare providers, our research demonstrates the importance of maintaining service intensity even when visit frequency fluctuates,\u201d<\/em> Fu adds.<\/p>\n

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Newly confirmed COVID-19 cases and governmental emergency responses.\u00a0Notes<\/i>: COVID-19 case data were obtained from the official governmental website. The data collection ended on May 7, 2023, due to the reclassification of COVID-19 to a Category V Infectious Disease. Information regarding the enforcement of SoE and SoPE policies was gathered from the official website of the Cabinet Agency for Infectious Diseases Crisis Management. The gray shaded area in both graphs denotes the study period.<\/sup><\/p>\n

Reference<\/strong><\/p>\n

Authors<\/strong>: Rong Fu<\/a>1<\/sup>, Sizhe Liu2<\/sup>, Masato Oikawa<\/a>3<\/sup>, Haruko Noguchi<\/a>4<\/sup>, and Akira Kawamura<\/a>5<\/sup>
\n<\/sup>Title of original paper<\/strong>: Healthcare utilization among Japanese older adults during later stage of prolonged pandemic
\nJournal<\/strong>: Scientific Reports<\/em>
\n<\/em>DOI<\/strong>: 10.1038\/s41598-025-98908-x<\/a>
\nArticle Publication Date:<\/strong>24 February 2025
\nAffiliations:
\n<\/strong>1<\/sup>Faculty of Commerce, Waseda University, Shinjuku, Japan
\n2<\/sup>Graduate School of Commerce, Waseda University, Shinjuku, Japan
\n3<\/sup>Faculty of Education and Integrated Arts and Sciences, Waseda University, Shinjuku, Japan
\n4<\/sup>Faculty of Political Science and Economics, Waseda University, Shinjuku, Japan
\n5<\/sup>Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University, Tokorozawa, Japan<\/p>\n

About Associate Professor Rong Fu<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dr. Rong Fu is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Commerce, Waseda University. Her research focuses on health economics and policy, with particular emphasis on healthcare utilization patterns among elderly populations and the socioeconomic determinants of health disparities. She has authored several publications spanning these research areas.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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