SERVICE-USE SUBTYPES AND CAREGIVER BURDEN IN HOME-LIVING ADULTS WITH SEVERE CARE NEEDS IN JAPAN

Sep 29, 2026

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Cross-sectional survey data from four municipalities in Ibaraki Prefecture examine how patterns of medical and long-term care (LTC) service use relate to caregiver burden among home-living adults with care-need level ≥3. Care-manager questionnaires provided service-use indicators for latent class analysis, producing three service-use subtypes. Caregiver burden was assessed using the Burden Index of Caregivers-11 (BIC-11) and analyzed across five domains with adjusted prevalence ratios from modified Poisson regression. A multi-component home-visit pattern showed lower high-burden prevalence than outpatient/day-centered services and reduced emotional and existential burden.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages1

Reading Time3 min

AccessFree to download

Objectives

Methods

Analysis approach

Results

Service-use subtypes

Caregiver burden comparisons

Conclusions

Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 1197 community-dwelling adults with severe care needs based on patterns of medical and long-term care (LTC) service use and to examine associations with caregiver burden. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey in four municipalities of Ibaraki Prefecture in Japan, targeting dyads of care managers and primary caregivers of adults with care-need level ≥3 living at home. Latent class analysis (LCA) was applied to service-use indicators from care manager questionnaires. Then, caregiver questionnaires were linked to assess high caregiver burden, defined by the Burden Index of Caregivers-11 (BIC-11) and dichotomized at the median. Additional analyses examined five BIC-11 domains (time-dependent, emotional, existential, physical, service-related). Adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs) were estimated using modified Poisson regression with robust variance, adjusting for patient and caregiver covariates. Results: Of 320 care manager respondents, LCA identified three subtypes: (1) outpatient/day services–centered, (2) multi-component home-visit services (mainly physician and nurse home visits), and (3) outpatient/ day rehabilitation–centered. After linkage and exclusion of missing data, 243 dyads were analyzed. Compared with the outpatient/day services subtype, the multi-component home-visit subtype was associated with a lower prevalence of high caregiver burden (aPR 0.66; 95% CI 0.46–0.95). Domain-specific analyses showed significantly lower emotional and existential burden in this group. Conclusions: Among adults with severe care needs at home, a multi-component home-visit service pattern was associated with lower caregiver burden, suggesting that appropriate service combinations may help mitigate caregiver strain. Abstract citation ID: igaf122.4007 SERVICE-USE SUBTYPES AND CAREGIVER BURDEN IN HOME-LIVING ADULTS WITH SEVERE CARE NEEDS IN JAPAN Yu Sun, Masao Iwagami, Nobuo Sakata, Satoru Yoshie, Yoko Hamasaki, Shoichi Masumoto, Gen Nakayama, and Ryohei Goto, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Ibaraki, Japan Objectives: As Japan transitions from hospital- to community-centered care, the burden on family caregivers is a growing concern. We aimed to identify subgroups of

FAQs

What is the main objective of the study?

To identify subgroups of service-use patterns among adults with severe care needs living at home and examine how these patterns are associated with caregiver burden.

How were service-use subtypes identified?

Latent class analysis was applied to service-use indicators derived from care manager questionnaires.

Which service-use subtype was associated with lower caregiver burden?

The multi-component home-visit services subtype, which includes mainly physician and nurse home visits, was linked to a lower prevalence of high caregiver burden compared with the outpatient/day services subtype.

Sep 29, 2026

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