Morbidity profile of inmates in old age homes in Mangalore, South India

2016-05-28T10-24-59Z
Source: International Journal of Medical Science and Public Health
Usha Rani S Padmanabha, Nalam Udayakiran, Puneeth Nagarajaiah, Vinayak J Kempaller.
Background: Ageing is a natural and inevitable process. As per WHO, in 2012, it has been estimated that over 8% of the total population is aged above 60 years. This proportion is expected to increase to 12% by 2025 and over 20% by 2050. India is witnessing a rapid increment in aged population constituting 8.2% of the national population. The old age homes, which were uncommon, have recently spread across the country indicating the growing rift between the generations. Objective: To assess the morbidity and sociodemographic profile of inmates in old age homes in Mangalore. Materials and Methods: The present study was a cross-sectional study done in three selected old age homes in Mangalore from June 2015 to August 2015. Universal sampling was done to obtain a sample size of 87. Totally, 80 inmates were enrolled. Data were obtained by interviewer method, medical records, and clinical examination, by using a pretested questionnaire after obtaining an informed consent. Results: Among the 80 inmates, 25% were male and 75% were female, out of which 63% were in the age group of 6070 years. Among the elders, 69% were widow/widower, 55% did not have any source of income, 29% were illiterate and 46% had completed primary education, 75% had musculoskeletal disorders, 69 % had visual defects, 64% were hypertensive, 30% had dental problems, and 28% were diabetic. Conclusion: There is an essential need for specialized geriatric clinics. Proper and regular health checkups should be conducted in old age homes with referral services. There is a need for insurance coverage for all the elders to meet their medical expenses.


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