Morbidity and disability in elderly Zimbabweans
Morbidity and disability in elderly Zimbabweans
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DOI：
10.1093/ageing/26.2.115
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发表时间：
1997-03-01
期刊：
影响因子：
6.7
通讯作者：
Matenga, JA
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Allain, TJ;Wilson, AO;Matenga, JA
背景资料：津巴布韦60岁以上的人口正在增加。目的：记录一组津巴布韦老年人口的残疾(日常生活活动障碍)、主观发病率(症状)、社会环境和卫生服务利用情况。设计：横断面社区调查背景：津巴布韦东北部一个偏远的农村地区和距离哈拉雷约80公里的两个城镇。对象：278名(154名妇女，174名农村)，60岁(60-92岁)居家。方法：随机整群抽样。结果：不到4%的人日常生活自理能力有困难，30%的人在仪器性活动方面有困难。前者都是视力受损的，后者的视力和行动能力问题都是原因之一。老年人经历了许多症状，但获得卫生服务的机会不足，很少使用药物。调查对象的经济收入主要是自给自足，60%的人仍在工作。随着年龄的增长，他们的资源越来越少，而且几乎没有得到社会福利部门的帮助。他们的健康和功能能力随着年龄的增长而恶化，但最难去诊所就诊的是年长的受试者。简单的措施，如白内障手术和止痛药，只对少数人可用，或者根本不能。结论：这项研究突出了一些问题领域，在这些领域，简单、低成本的措施可以改变津巴布韦老年人的发病率和残疾。
Background: the population aged over 60 years in Zimbabwe is expanding. Despite the likely increased demand on medical services that this will bring, little is known about the health needs of this elderly population.Objective: to record the prevalence of disability (impairment of activities of daily living), subjective morbidity (symptoms), the social circumstances and the utilization of health services in a group of elderly Zimbabweans.Design: cross-sectional community surveySetting: a remote rural area in North Eastern Zimbabwe and two urban townships located approximately 80 km from Harare.Subjects: 278 subjects (154 women, 174 rural), aged > 60 years (range 60-92) living at home.Method: subjects were selected by random cluster sampling. They were assessed in a structured interview and underwent physical examination including visual acuity, inspection for cataracts and assessment of mobility.Results: less than 4% experienced difficulty with self-maintenance activities of daily living, but 30% had difficulty with instrumental activities. The former were all visually impaired and both visual and mobility problems contributed to the latter. Elderly people experienced many symptoms but had inadequate access to health services and used medication infrequently. Subjects were mainly self-sufficient for financial income and 60% still worked. They had declining resources with age and received little help from the social welfare department. Their health and functional abilities deteriorated with age but it was older subjects who had most difficulty getting to the clinic. Simple measures such as cataract surgery and analgesics were available only to the minority or not at all.Conclusions: this study highlights problem areas where simple, low-cost measures could make a difference to the morbidity and disability of elderly Zimbabweans.