[Health Insurance in Old Age and Differences in Cognition, Depressive Symptoms and Health-Related Quality of Life].

OBJECTIVE: We aimed at identifying differences regarding cognition, depressive symptoms and health-related quality of life between members of private and statutory health insurance (SHI) in very old age in Germany.

METHODS: Cross-sectional data were gathered from the multicenter prospective "Study on Needs, health service use, costs and health-related quality of life in a large sample of oldest-old primary care patients (85+)" (AgeQualiDe), covering primary care patients aged ≥ 85 years (n = 854; with 773 members of SHI). The Global Deterioration Scale measured cognition, the Geriatric Depression Scale assessed depressive symptoms, and health-related quality of life was measured by using a Visual Analogue Scale (EQ-VAS).

RESULTS: While members of private health insurance showed slightly better cognitive function, less depressive symptoms and better health-related quality of life descriptively, regression models showed that none of these differences was statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS: There are no differences between members of private health insurance and SHI regarding cognitive function, depressive symptoms and health-related quality of life in very old age.