MORBIDITY PATTERN AMONG ELDERLY PEOPLE ADMITTED IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL OF UTTARAKHAND

Dr. Minakshi Dhar*, Dr. Nowneet K. Bhat, Dr. Sohaib Ahmad, Dr. Vartika Saxena and Dr. Monika Pathania

ABSTRACT

Background: The prevalence of chronic medical illnesses increase with increasing age. Elderly population is increasing at an alarming rate globally, with the greatest increase occurring in developing countries. Limited resources, diseases and increasing life expectancy are implicitly assumed to be associated deteriorating health status in old age. Objectives: To study the pattern of elderly patients presenting at the Tertiary care Hospital in Uttarakhand, India. Method: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study of 800 elderly patients who admitted to the tertiary care hospital for different ailments. Data was collected relate to their main reason of admission on a predesigned performa. Main outcome measurements were the prevalence of various morbidities and socio-demographic characteristics. Results: 513 (64.1%) were males and 287 (35.9%) were females with the mean ages of males and females were 67.77 ± 6.90 and 67.23±7.23 respectively. (p value <0.05). 487 (60.8%) elderly patients had more than one underlying chronic illness at the time of admission. 49.5% patients had non specific bodily complaints followed by gastrointestinal complaints. Diabetes was the most prevalent underlying chronic disease followed by hypertension. Most of the patients were admitted to the hospital because of the complications of these two underlying conditions. Conclusion: Epidemiological shift of diseases from communicable to non - communicable illnesses was evident. Health awareness and early screening of diseases among elderly people especially among rural folk is the need of the hour.

Keywords: Old age, co-morbidity, diabetes, hypertension.