Morbidity pattern among the geriatric population in an urban area of davangere, karnataka

Abstract

Background: According to census 2011 the elderly population aged 60 years and above accounts for 8% of the total population and is projected to rise to 12.4% by the year 2026. The elderly are one of the most vulnerable and high-risk groups in terms of health status and hence their health-related problems need to be assessed and addressed accordingly. Objective: To study the morbidity pattern among the geriatric population in the urban field practice area of JJM Medical college Davangere. Methods: It was a community based cross sectional study which was conducted in the urban field practice area of JJM Medical College Davangere. The total study subjects were 440 individuals aged 60 years and above. Data was collected using a predesigned, pre-tested and semi-structured questionnaire. Data was analyzed by using MS Excel and Open-Epi Info software version 2.2. Results: The study revealed that the some of the common morbidities among the geriatric subjects were the disorders of the musculoskeletal system (71.4%), eye and adnexa (49.7%), oral cavity (32.9%), en-docrine, nutritional and metabolic disorders (32.9%) etc. Conclusion: In this study a significant association was found between some of the morbidities and socio demographic determinants like age, occupation and religion.