Elderly Patients Treated in Selected Family Medicine Offices in Central Istria And Their Habits

Year 2018, Volume: 9 Issue: 1, 34 - 39, 10.03.2018

Tina Zavidić đino Lovrinić

https://doi.org/10.5799/jcei.413069

Abstract

Objective:
To describe the
sociodemographic profile and investigate the habits of elderly patients
attending family medicine offices in central Istria, Croatia.

Patients
and Methods: This
was a retrospective study, conducted in central Istria. Data were obtained by a
physical examination, extraction from a recorded history of disease, and using
an administered questionnaire. The patients were stratified into three groups:
young (65-74 years), middle (75-84 years), and older old age (>85 years).
Groups were compared about education, marital status, body mass index,
frequency of visits to a family doctor, and habitual activities such as
physical activity, smoking, coffee and alcohol consumption, and
vitamins/dietary supplements intake, and hobbies.

Results:
Overall, 191
patients were included, of which 93 young (49%), 82 middle (43%), and 16 older
old (8%). The age groups differed statistically with regard to education and marital
status. In the young old group, 53% of subjects had a high school/university
diploma, in the middle old 19%, and in the oldest old 12% (p<0.001). The
proportion of widowed subjects in the young, middle, and oldest old groups were
16%, 40%, and 50%, respectively (p=0.005). The most common diagnoses were
cardiovascular diseases (76-83%), diabetes (41-56%), vision and hearing
problems (13-31%), and musculoskeletal disorders (6-29%). The majority of
responders were not physically active (59.2%) and had a body mass index ≥ 25
kg/m2 (50-77%).

Conclusion:
Understanding
the profile of elderly patients is paramount in order to preserve the dignity
of living by meeting their health, social, and economic needs.

Keywords

Alcohol consumption, body mass index, comorbidity, elderly, physical activity, smoking

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