Home Renovation Research Articles

High prevalence of eczema among preschool children related to home renovation in China: A multi-city-based cross-sectional study.

We surveyed 40010 three- to six-year-old children in seven Chinese cities (Beijing, Taiyuan, Urumqi, Shanghai, Nanjing, Changsha, and Chongqing) during 2010-2012 so as to investigate possible links between home renovation and childhood eczema. Their parents responded to questions on home renovation and childhood eczema. Multivariate and two-level (city-child) logistic regression analyses yielding odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals were performed. Sensitivity analyses stratifying data for region, climate, and income level were also performed. The prevalences of childhood eczema in children with different floor and wall covering materials were significantly different and were significantly higher with home renovation during early lifetime. Exposure to synthetic materials significantly increased the risk of childhood eczema by 20%-25%. The risks (AOR, 95% CI) of current eczema among children in families with solid wood flooring and oil paint wall covering were 1.25 (1.04-1.49) and 1.35 (1.14-1.60), respectively. Home renovation during pregnancy was related to children's lifetime and current eczema.

Application of Weighted Product Method for Determining Home Renovation Assistance in Pringsewu District

House is a place that is needed by human beside clothing and food. House has important function for all people, a place to unwind and gather with family. A good and comfortable house condition will make family harmony, therefore Pringsewu district government conducts a home renovation assistance program for underprivileged in Pringsewu District. The obstacles faced by local government in implementing home renovation assistance are to determine which citizens are eligible for home renovation assistance. This problem can be overcome by creating an effective and efficient home renovation assistance assessment system. By using the method of weighted product it is expected to help the performance of the local government in Pringsewu District, the method of weighted product was selected because it is able to select alternatives from each alternative. The function of this method is to determine the weight scoew for each alternative and the criteria that have been determined. There are six criteria used in this study, namely: (1) House Wall, (2) Roof Structure (3) Residential Floor (4) Latrine condition (5) Occupation of Head of Household (6) Certificate of House Ownership. In addition the criteria also used criteria weighting score to determine the alternative obtained. The smallest score was in V3 with score of 0.122124 and alternative A3was the alternative selected as the recipient of home renovation assistance in Pringsewu district.

ALOKASI KREDIT PROGRAM KEMITRAAN PELAKU USAHA KULINER MITRA BINAAN PT TELEKOMUNIKASI INDONESIA TBK WILAYAH MANADO

This study aims to determine the allocation of credit funds in the Partnership Program by culinary business partners of PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia Tbk, Manado Region (Program Kemitraan oleh pelaku usaha kuliner Mitra Binaan PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia Tbk Wilayah Manado). Respondents were selected on all Culinary Business Partners. The data used in this study are primary data and secondary data. Primary data was obtained through direct interviews with 14 Foster Partners (respondent) using a questionnaire. Secondary data was obtained from the office of PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia Tbk in the Manado Region, the internet through the google scholar to get electronic books, journal articles and thesis related to the research topic about the allocation of the Partnership Program Credit. The analytical tool used in this research is descriptive statistical method. The results showed thatthe Partnership Credit Program was not used for productive purpose or sector, namely the consumptive sector but was used for household consumption, the cost of children's education, home renovation, buyingtelevision and saving. The percentage of the Partnership Program Credit used for the productive sector was 42.18%, the consumptive sector amounted to 27.75% and savings amounted to 30.07% from the totalamount of loans disbursed to the amount of Rp. 369,000,000, - for a total of 14 culinary business partners.*eprm*

Mothers and children are related, even in exposure to chemicals present in common consumer products

BackgroundPhthalates, bisphenol A (BPA) and triclosan (TCS) are detectable in the vast majority of people. Most humans are continuously exposed to these chemicals due to their presence in food or in everyday consumer products. The measurement of these compounds in family members may help to explore the impact of major lifestyle factors on exposure. Mothers and (young) children are especially interesting to study, as they mostly share considerable parts of daily life together. Materials and methodsPhthalate metabolites, bisphenol A (BPA) and triclosan (TCS) were measured in first morning void urine, collected in mother-child pairs (n = 129) on the same day. The mothers (27-45y) and their children (6-11y) were recruited in the Brussels agglomeration and rural areas of Belgium in the context of the European COPHES-DEMOCOPHES human biomonitoring project. Face-to-face questionnaires gathered information on major exposure sources and lifestyle factors. Exposure determinants were assessed by multiple linear regression analysis. ResultsThe investigated compounds were detectable in nearly all mothers (92.8–100%) and all children (95.2–100%). The range (P90 vs. P10) of differences in urinary concentrations within each age group was for most compounds around 10–20 fold, and was very high for TCS up to 35 and 350-fold in children and mothers respectively. Some participants exceeded the tolerable daily intake guidelines as far as they were available from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Overall, for BPA, the urinary concentrations were similar among both age groups. Most urinary phthalate metabolites were higher in children compared to the mothers, except for monoethyl phthalate (MEP). TCS levels were generally higher in the mothers. Despite the difference in mothers' and children's urinary concentrations, the creatinine-corrected levels were correlated for all biomarkers (Spearman rank r = 0.32 to 0.66, p < 0.001). Furthermore, for phthalates, similar home and lifestyle factors were associated with the urinary concentrations in both age groups: home renovation during last two years or redecoration during the last year for di-ethyl phthalate (DEP); PVC in home for di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP), di-iso-butyl phthalate (DiBP) and butyl benzyl phthalate (BBzP), and personal care products use for DiBP and DnBP. Based on questionnaire information on general food type consumption patterns, the exposure variability could not be explained. However, comparing the phthalate intake from the current study with earlier assessed Belgian food intake calculations for both ages, food in general was estimated to be the major intake source for di-ethyl hexyl phthalate (DEHP), with diminishing importance for BBzP, DiBP and DnBP. ConclusionOur results confirm, that children and their mothers, sharing diets and home environments, also share exposure in common consumer products related chemicals. By collecting morning urine levels on the same day, and using basic questionnaires, suspected exposure routes could be unraveled.

SPK PEMILIHAN BANTUAN BEDAH RUMAH PADA KELURAHAN PURNAMA MENGGUNAKAN METODE SAW

Home renovation assistance is an effort to reduce the burden on the poor. Home renovation is an activity to improve people's houses that are no longer suitable to be occupied. To determine whether or not it is appropriate, residents must meet predetermined criteria. The program that has been running so far is still very complicated in the processing of community data, as well as the selection process for prospective recipients, because it requires precision to determine which families are truly entitled to receive house renovation assistance, because the process is still manual. So we need a decision support system using the saw method that can help in determining who has the right to take precedence in getting home surgery assistance. The purpose in making this application is to help those responsible for making decisions easier, as well as preventing mistakes and fraud and making it easier to determine the values of community data criteria that are truly entitled to receive house renovation assistance. Community data processing for the assessment process can be operated with a computer device through an application system that uses PHP programming and uses a MySQL database Keywords: php, spk, saw method, Home Surgery, system, Javascript

Associations between concentrations of perfluoroalkyl substances in human plasma and maternal, infant, and home characteristics in Winnipeg, Canada

Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are known to be toxic, bioaccumulative, and persistent. However, exposure routes and toxic effects to humans are still widely unknown. Our objectives were to evaluate potential correlations between concentrations of PFASs in maternal plasma and infant cord blood with home characteristics and developmental effects, including wheezing. The concentrations of 17 PFASs were measured in plasma from prenatal women (n = 414), postnatal women (n = 247), and cord blood (n = 50) from a subset of participants in a population-based birth cohort in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, using online solid phase extraction (SPE) with liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Multiple linear regression and principal component analysis (PCA) were used to evaluate possible associations with PFAS concentrations. Surveys were used to collect information regarding maternal characteristics (e.g. age, parity, duration of breastfeeding), infant characteristics (e.g. birth weight, birth length, head circumference, gestational age, and incidence of recurrent wheezing), and home characteristics (e.g. home age,carpet coverage in the most used room, presence of new furniture, or recent home renovations). PFASs in plasma were associated with maternal characteristics but not home characteristics or early childhood wheezing. PFASs were not associated with developmental effects, with the exception that perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUA) was negatively associated with birth weight. Further studies investigating the potential influences of PFUA on birth weight are warranted.

Economic sentiment as a driver for household financial behavior

The study focused on investigating influence of economic sentiments on household financial decisions. A group of Polish households participated simultaneously in a longitudinal study on financial behavior and a consumer tendency survey. Combination of responses from the two surveys was used to investigate a link between economic situation assessment and household financial decisions. With the use of latent class modeling five distinct patterns of saving behavior and six distinct patterns of borrowing behavior were identified among respondents. Patterns in both these domains were confirmed as stable in time. Subsequently, with the use of individual data, a link between indicators from the consumer tendency survey and the evolution of household financial behavior in the domains of borrowing and savings was established. Consumer confidence stimulated debt for durables and mortgages but reduced debt uptake for unexpected expenditures or consumption purposes. Lower consumer confidence increased only likelihood of saving for consumption, confirming the precautionary motive of saving. Multi-purpose and home renovation savings both correlated positively with consumer confidence.

Impact on lung function among children exposed to home new surface materials: The seven Northeastern Cities Study in China.

We conducted a cross-sectional study to investigate the associations between recent home renovation exposure and lung function in children. We randomly recruited 7326 school children residing in 24 districts from seven cities in northeastern China. We collected information about home renovations from parents using a questionnaire and lung function measurements from children using spirometer recordings gathered by trained professionals and expressed as the forced expiratory volume in 1second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), maximal mid-expiratory flow (MMEF), and peak expiratory flow (PEF). We identified higher odds of diminished lung function among these with home renovation in the previous 2years compared to those without home renovation in the previous 2years, for FVC (odds ratios [ORs] = 1.84 [95%CI: 1.58, 2.15]; FEV1: ORs = 2.82 [95%CI: 2.36, 3.36]; PEF: ORs = 1.51 [95%CI: 1.24, 1.83]; and MMEF: ORs = 1.90 [95%CI: 1.60, 2.24]). The associations were stronger among children exposed to new polyvinyl chloride (PVC) flooring compared to children exposed to other surface materials. Our results were consistent throughout the analysis of each type of renovation materials. In conclusion, recent home renovation exposure was associated with poor lung function among children. Strategies to protect home owners and their families from respiratory hazards during and after renovation are required.

Between House and Home: Renovations Labor and the Production of Residential Value

In 2014, spending on home renovations across Canada outstripped spending on actual home purchases. In this article, I explore this rise in renovations spending through a case study of these dynamics in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), a metropolitan region that has experienced extraordinary growth in both house prices and levels of household mortgage debt over the last decade. While cheap mortgage debt has often been considered a key factor facilitating housing exchange and speculation in recent decades, I highlight the significant role that informalized renovations labor has played in these housing market dynamics across the GTA. Combining secondary data on GTA housing sales and renovations activity with in-depth interviews with precarious renovations workers, I contend that renovating has been a key strategy to overcome the crisis of affordability produced by low-interest mortgage debt. Highlighting the central role of renovations labor in reproducing the home as a commodity with either new use or exchange values, I recast strategies of asset wealth-building and house buying in the GTA as ones highly reliant on de-skilled and informalized noncitizen renovations labor. Informed by intersectional feminist scholarship on paid but precarious labor in the home, I offer a partial perspective on the fundamental importance of precarious renovations labor to the political economy of private homeownership.

Housing characteristics, home environmental factors, and pulmonary function deficit in Chinese children: Results from the Seven Northeast Cities (SNEC) Study

To assess the effects of housing characteristics and home environmental factors on lung function of Chinese children, 6740 children (aged 6–16 years) were recruited from seven cities in Northeast China in 2012. Performance of lung function was determined by comparison of forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume (FEV1), peak expiratory flow (PEF), and maximal mid-expiratory flow (MMEF). Multivariate regression models were used to evaluate the associations with lung function deficit. The results showed that housing conditions were associated with lung function deficit in children. The adjusted odds ratios were 0.47 (95% CI: 0.26–0.83) for FVC for “ping-fang” housing compared with “dan-yuan-lou-fang” housing and 2.90 (95% CI: 2.43–3.47) for FEV1 with home renovations completed within two years compared with counterparts. The linear regression models consistently showed a significant association of housing conditions and home environmental factors with lung function measurements across subjects. A residence taller than seven stories was negatively associated with FEV1 ( β = −55; 95% CI: −97 to −13). In conclusion, housing conditions and home environmental factors are particularly important to the development of lung function and respiratory health in children. These factors are concerning and action should be taken to improve them.

Actor, intermediary, and context: media in home renovation and consumption practice

ABSTRACTHome renovations demonstrate the interplay between economic transactions and cultural values that shape consumption practice and consumer markets. The academic disciplines of environmental and social sciences and spheres of environmental policy and practice have taken interest in renovations because of their implications for improved environmental outcomes. However, a considerable blind spot in this work has been an out-of-step, largely one-dimensional, or peripheral engagement with media. This paper draws on interdisciplinary, mixed-method empirical research to explore the contribution of media studies to environmental policy, research, and practice. I develop a theoretical framework by synthesising across the functions of (i) actor, (ii) intermediary, and (iii) context to account for the role of media in the processes of change related to household consumption and sustainability. The paper concludes with some implications based on the framework.

OPTIMALIZATION OF SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION (BPJS KETENAGAKERJAAN) TO ACCELARATE THE ACCESSABILITY OF HOUSING FACILITIES FOR LOW-INCOME PEOPLE ACCELERATING HOUSING FOR LOW INCOME PEOPLE (MBR)

Housing for low-income people has become a problem that until now cannot be solved completely. Various programs have been launched but the number of backlog of housing continues to grow. One of the parties who take in-charge in this problem settlement is the BPJS Ketenagakerjaan program that launches additional programs related to the housing. The results of this study show the role of BPJS Ketenagakerjaan in Accelerating the Accessibility of Housing Facilities for Low-Income People with several programs such as down-payment facilities (PUMP), home renovation loans (PRP) and real estate construction loans. These programs will assist the government to settle this housing deficit although there has not been any prevailing rule and regulation which also has not reached entire nation of Indonesia due to it is limited to the members of BPJS Ketenagakerjaan. Therefore it is required to optimize the role of BPJS Ketenagakaerjaan to settle such housing deficit by understanding the prevailing rules and regulation and some related facilities including the application of leasing. The obstacle which inhibited by the BI Checking that can be solved by set up the new scheme to the potential debtors that so that they can as soon as possible live in their dream houses though still own difficulties in credit rate/BI-Checking. Then, as they change their credit rate they may purchase the house in the form of mortgage based on their capacity of income. To execute this, strong rules and regulation from the government as basis of the role of BPJS Ketenagakerjaan or “other LKNB”can also be active in this housing deficit problem with leasing scheme.

Accuracy of a mobile app to identify suspect asbestos-containing material in Australian residential settings

In situ asbestos in the built environment is a remaining source of exposure in countries that have prohibited the manufacture and use of asbestos. However, it is difficult to identify in situ asbestos-containing material in residential settings. The objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of the mobile phone application (“app”), ACM Check, in identifying in situ asbestos located inside and outside of homes compared with onsite inspections conducted by an experienced environmental consultant. A cross-sectional study was undertaken that involved participants completing ACM Check on their homes built pre-1990 and located throughout metropolitan Perth, Western Australia, and an onsite inspection conducted at each home by an environmental consultant. Cohen’s kappa statistic was calculated to evaluate the strength of agreement between the two methods. The 40 houses sampled were built between 1898 and 1988 with a median year of 1966. Thirty-eight (95%) homes had at least one type of material categorized as positive for asbestos by both ACM Check and the environmental consultant (κ = 1.00). Agreement between the two methods differed when categorizing specific materials as positive or negative for asbestos with substantial agreement for fencing (κ = 0.918), outbuilding walls (κ = 0.844), backing board to electrical meter box (κ = 0.826), exterior wall cladding (κ = 0.771), and interior walls (κ = 0.754), and fair agreement for outbuilding roofs (κ = 0.375) and interior flooring (κ = 0.304). ACM Check is a tool that can be used by tradespeople, home renovators, and householders to screen residential settings for the presence of in situ asbestos-containing material. Mobile phone apps have the potential to be developed or modified for use in other countries to help users identify asbestos and reduce their risk of asbestos exposure.

Jual Beli Model ‘Inah di Lembaga Keuangan Syariah: Tinjauan Konsep, Hukum dan Implementasi

The sale and purchase of 'inah and tawarruq is a classic problem that is recognized or not continues to grow and be practiced by individuals and financial institutions to date. Based on the facts on the ground, this type of engineering of sale and purchase occurs in Islamic Financial Institutions (LKS), where Islamic Financial Institutions only serve and serve financial services for its customers who need funds. So much is found that most LKS activities lead to financing through murabahah scheme where the scheme of the contract is considered safe for the LKS because the level of risk is lower than other types of contract. This paper is intended to determine the nature of the concept and legal sale and purchase 'inah and tawarruq according to scholars fiqh classics and how the practices of these two transactions became an issue on financial transactions in LKS. By using descriptive qualitative method, literature approach and history, it is produced that the type of sale of 'Inah and Tawarruq is still debated by the jurists of fiqh jurisprudence and the tendency is forbidden because there is a rift of ribawi transaction in it. While in practice in LKS is still widely applied and growing especially in superior products (murabahah) as in financing business capital, credit card, home financing or home renovation or the like and gold-based financing.

Collaborative business model development for home energy renovations

In the EU, housing retrofit rates have to increase to about 2.5–3% of the housing stock per year to achieve policy goals. The development of new business models and collaboration of SMEs in a fragmented market is expected to result in an increase in home renovations. This study presents a way to better understand the usefulness of the business model as a market device for collaborating firms for realising home energy renovations, by analysing literature and action research observations. Joint innovation decisions during business model development were traced back for 24 groups emerging from the supply side in five European countries. Commonalities for all groups were analysed to understand the usefulness of the business model. The business model development experiences show that effort is still required to support SME collaboration and to introduce basic marketing knowledge within SMEs, particularly to identify the customer segment and its values and to clarify the effectiveness of existing communication channels. Business models appear to be very useful for collaborative vision formation and networking and for clarifying the need of customer-oriented approaches that include project management and structured guidance of homeowners. However, they do not readily lead to the introduction of collaborative businesses, for which action plan are needed. Collaborating companies are advised to pay specific attention to identifying quality assurance and independent advice for home energy renovations. The research acknowledges the success of action-based research approaches to support collaborative business development and recommends its future use to speed up market development.

EFFECT OF PANEL AREA-VOLUME RATIO ON TVOC RELEASED FROM DECORATIVE PARTICLEBOARDS

Home renovation can improve our living environment, but it can cause pollution and endanger human health. Wood-based panels are a main source of polluting volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This article studied the VOC concentration of different types of decorative particleboards (PBs) and different panel area–volume ratio, and the effect of panel area–volume ratio on release of various substances. In this study, the main experimental conditions are as follows: the temperature was controlled at 230.5°C; the humidity was controlled at 50%3%; and the rate of ventilation was controlled at once 1 h. And a 15-L small–environmental chamber was used to test the VOC emission. The experimental material was PB with different decorative materials (water-based paint, melamine-impregnated paper, polyvinyl chloride, and PB with no decorative material), and VOC emission was collected under different panel area–volume ratios (1, 1.5, 2, and 2.5m2/m3). The result showed that the VOCs were present, with the trend of decreasing with time. The decline velocity of water-based paint (WP) was the fastest, whereas that of the PB with no decorative material was the slowest. Increase of panel area–volume ratio could cause the VOC concentration to increase, but the panel area–volume ratio does not have a linear relationship with VOC concentration. Surface decoration can reduce the release of various kinds of material inside the plate to a certain extent. Melamine impregnated paper (MI) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) can reduce the release of aromatic hydrocarbons in panels, and PVC can inhibit the release of esters in panels.

Holistic narratives of the renovation experience: Using Q-methodology to improve understanding of domestic energy retrofits in the United Kingdom

The energy efficient retrofit of existing building stocks can help to address various social, economic and environmental objectives. As the most cost-effective and least disruptive retrofit options have regularly been implemented as a priority, initiatives that seek to encourage continued retrofit are likely to require thoughtful improvements in their design. Understanding the population of households that may be interested in retrofit as a heterogeneous rather than a homogenous group is a critical part of improving support for retrofit. In this research, we use Q-methodology to disaggregate the home owner-occupier population of the UK and create narratives that represent their experience of home renovations. We consider the experience of general home renovations as typically households do not see these as distinctive from energy efficient retrofit. The narratives present a holistic perspective by incorporating a comprehensive range of the influences on the renovation experience. The developed narratives – ‘Organised and seeking greater comfort’, ‘Settled and performing a functional upgrade’, ‘Growing and needing a family home’ and ‘A lot to do and no time like the present’ – provide the opportunity to better understand those making renovation decisions and subsequently develop more appropriate interventions to promote retrofit.

Associations of household renovation materials and periods with childhood asthma, in China: A retrospective cohort study

BackgroundChildhood asthma is prevalent in China. However, there is a lack of evidence on whether household renovation, including the materials used and the periods, are associated with the disease. ObjectivesTo investigate the associations between household decoration materials and renovation periods, and childhood asthma and its related symptoms. MethodsDuring 2010–2012, a retrospective cohort study was initiated in seven cities of China, and 40,010 children, aged 3–6 years, were recruited. Data on demographics, health status, and home decoration conditions were collected using a parent-administered questionnaire. Two-level (city-child) logistic regression analyses with adjusted odds ratios (AORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were performed to show the target associations. Sensitivity analysis was performed by stratifying data for children in the southern and northern cities. ResultsChildren whose homes underwent renovation or the addition of new furniture within 1 year before pregnancy, during pregnancy, at age 0–1 year, and after age 1 year had significantly (p < 0.05) higher prevalence of childhood asthma and its related symptoms. The use of solid wood floors and wallpaper had significant associations (cement: AOR, 95% CI: 1.59, 1.17–2.17; lime: AOR, 95% CI: 1.31, 1.00–1.71) with an increased risk of lifetime asthma. Household renovation and the addition of new furniture during pregnancy had significant associations with lifetime asthma (renovation: AOR, 95% CI: 1.23, 1.01–1.51); lifetime wheeze (renovation: AOR, 95% CI: 1.21, 1.05–1.39; furniture: AOR, 95% CI: 1.24, 1.14–1.36), current wheeze (renovation: AOR, 95% CI, 1.21 1.05–1.40; furniture: AOR, 95% CI: 1.23, 1.12–1.34), and current dry cough (renovation: AOR, 95% CI: 1.41, 1.23–1.63; furniture: AOR, 95% CI: 1.28, 1.17–1.41). Similar associations were found between the addition of new furniture during early childhood and lifetime asthma and its related symptoms. Except for the association between lifetime wheeze and flooring materials, the studied associations were generally stronger among children from the northern cities. ConclusionsWe confirmed that using cellulose based materials in home decoration and renovation, and adding new furniture during early childhood and pregnancy could be risk factors for childhood asthma. The association between household decoration during early childhood and childhood asthma may be stronger in the northern cities of China.

The Role of Ratio Profits as the Improvement of Realization of KPR BTN Credit in PT. BTN (Persero) Tbk.

Mortgages are used as credit services provided by banks to customers who want a special loan to meet the needs in the construction of houses or home renovations that must be in accordance with the procedures that have been specified as a condition of completeness of KPR. Data collection methods in the preparation of this research is a qualitative research method with one case study in calculating the profit generated by Bank BTN (Bank Tabungan Negara) can be calculated by using the ratio. One of the ratios used is the profitability ratio. In the ratio of profitability, there are ratios such as: ROA (Return On Asset), ROE (Return On Equity), NIM (Net Interest Margin), and BOPO (Operational Cost). To find out the ROA (Return On Asset) ratio, net income after tax and income is required. As for calculating ROE (Return On Equity) ratio required net income after interest and taxes and capital. And for NIM (Net Interest Margin) ratio required total net profit after tax and income, while BOPO (Operational Cost) required operational and operational income. Analysis of financial statements is very important to do because at this stage the financial statements that have been calculated on the ratio already described, the ratio results obtained by PT. Bank BTN (Bank Tabungan Negara) may be decided to comply with the provisions of the BI standard provisions.

Estimating Long-Term Care Costs among Thai Elderly: A Phichit Province Case Study.

Background Rural-urban inequality in long-term care (LTC) services has been increasing alongside rapid socioeconomic development. This study estimates the average spending on LTC services and identifies the factors that influence the use and cost of LTC for the elderly living in urban and rural areas of Thailand. Methods The sample comprised 837 elderly aged 60 years drawn from rural and urban areas in Phichit Province. Costs were assessed over a 1-month period. Direct costs of caregiving and indirect costs (opportunity cost method) were analyzed. Binary logistic regression was performed to determine which factors affected LTC costs. Results The total annual LTC spending for rural and urban residents was on average USD 7,285 and USD 7,280.6, respectively. Formal care and informal care comprise the largest share of payments. There was a significant association between rural residents and costs for informal care, day/night care, and home renovation. Conclusions Even though total LTC expenditures do not seem to vary significantly across rural and urban areas, the fundamental differences between areas need to be recognized. Reorganizing country delivery systems and finding a balance between formal and informal care are alternative solutions.