A Study of Morbidity Profile among the Geriatric Age Group in Urban Population of Eluru

Abstract

Background: age should be regarded as a normal, inevitable biological phenomenon. The study of the physical, psychological changes which are incident to old age is called gerontology. The Care of the aged is called clinical gerontology or geriatrics. Ageing is a natural process, in the words of Senica; Old age is an incurable disease, but more recently Sir Games Sterling Ross commented: do not heal old age. You protect it; you promote it; you extend it. Objectives: 1.To knows the demographic variables in relation to geriatric age 2. To find the morbidity pattern among the geriatric population. Methodology: The present community based cross sectional study was conducted at urban field practice area of Alluri Sita Rama Raju Institute of Medical Sciences, Eluru with the help of Community Medicine staff during the period from July 2010 to October 2010. A total of 118 geriatric age group population were interviewed with prestructured questionnaire and using systematic random sampling method of every 2nd house was selected. Data was analysed with SPSS 17.0 version and necessary statistical tests were applied. Results: Out of 118 geriatric population, about 80.5% were in the age group of 60-69 years, 14.4% were in the age group of 70-79 yrs and lastly 5.1% were above 80 yrs of age. Of which, 33% were males and 67% were females. About 82.2% were having multiple geriatric health problems ( more than one health problem). Predominant morbidity was observed in the study population was osteoarthritis, which accounts 66%, 47.3% were hypertensives in the study population. There was significant association was found between the high Body Mass Index and Hypertension (P<0.01). Conclusions: Based on the results obtained in this study, most common geriatric morbidity was osteoarthritis and more among females. Hence, in this age geriatric counseling centres and geriatric homes must be established with government support which will bring some quality of life among geriatric population.