An attitudinal survey on ambulance rescues among elderly adults in Kyotanba, Japan

Objectives : Although the number of elderly persons being taken to hospital in an ambulance is increasing rapidly, attitudinal research focusing on the ambulance rescues of elderly individuals is rare. In this study, the questionnaire method was used to ascertain attitudes toward ambulance use among elderly adults in an area with a high ratio of elderly residents. Methods : In October 2012, an anonymous questionnaire was sent to a random sample of elderly persons aged over 65 years in the town of Kyotanba, Japan. Results : The collection rate was 65.5%. Of these, 656 questionnaires were analyzable. The average age of survey respondents was 76.9 ± 7.3 years, with women accounting for 60.1%. When asked about their family structures, 38.4% indicated that they were living with their spouse, while 15.6% noted they were single. Many who had used an ambulance were those requiring assistance with daily living, the old-old, and those receiving home care. Many women, however, felt a degree of antipathy toward using an ambulance because of an aversion to the wail of the ambulance siren (73.3%) and a feeling that they were inconveniencing their neighborhoods (42.6%). Further, 15.5% of respondents agreed with ambulance service charges, whereas 32.3% were opposed to these costs. Respondents reported having "a sense of security from using an ambulance, " but also felt that it was "difficult to use an ambulance properly. Discussion : On the whole, survey respondents felt a sense of security from using an ambulance, despite feeling some antipathy. The results of our study imply that elderly adults need opportunities to better understand the proper use of an ambulance.