Socioeconomic disparities in the trends of inpatient utilization for middle-aged and older adults in China: the perspective of international comparison from four cohorts.

ABSTRACT:

Background

During the past decade, China has witnessed a rapid increase in healthcare utilization. However, whether this surge in healthcare use is reasonable remains an urgent question to be answered, particularly for informing scientific policy design and adjustment in future health systems reform. We aimed to analyze the differences in healthcare utilization trends among Chinese adults aged 50 and above in comparison with other countries and regions, and to investigate the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and healthcare utilization in China.

Methods

Participants aged 50 and over were drawn from the ageing surveys conducted in China, the United States, South Korea, and Europe. SES was measured using education level, total household income, and employment stat

SUBMITTER: Yuan Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12715963 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature