Home Health Care Services in Turkey: The Sample of Bolu

Objective: This study was planned with the aim of determining the clinical characteristics of patients served by the Bolu Home Health Care Services (HHCS), their reasons for making use of home health care services, and the distribution of care. Methods: The sample of this descriptive study consisted of 386 patients to whom service was being provided by Bolu HHCS. A Patient Information Form created by the researchers by examining the relevant literature was used to collect data. Numbers, percentages and mean were used in the analysis of data. Results: The mean age of the individuals receiving HHCS who participated in the study was 61.6 +/- 10.4 years; a majority were female; 50.8% were married and 78.0% lived with their families, and for 70%, their children had applied to HHCS. It was found that most of the patients (96.1%) were satisfied with the home care services, 97.6% had no expectations beyond the current services, 80.1% had a chronic illness, with circulatory system diseases the most common; they most often made use of physical examination, blood collection and wound dressing services, and most were old and dependent patients. Conclusions: It was seen in the light of the results of the study that it is important to plan home health care services especially for dependent and semi-dependent old people, to develop protective health services relating to the risks of early stage stroke and cardiovascular disease, and to improve rehabilitation services.