Distribution of informal and formal home help for elderly people in Sweden.

We examined the effects of functional ability and various sociodemographic characteristics of 553 elderly persons on their need for domestic assistance. The Sickness impact Profile was used to assess functional ability. Multiple logistic regression identified the following statistically significant determinants of informal home help (including various practical activity of daily living [ADL] chores): poor physical status, age greater than 85 years, male gender, not living alone, and living in a rural district. The following determinants of formal home help manifested themselves: poor physical status, male gender, and living alone. Physical status, age, gender, and district of domicile were independently associated with overall use of home help.