Evaluación psicosocial de los ancianos de una zona básica de salud

Abstract

Objective : To determine the typical profile of the elderly patients of our health district, to evaluate their affective and cognitive status, and social support, and to identify possible differences between subjects seen in the clinic and those seen at home. Methods : Cross-sectional descriptive study. The sample included the patients over 65 years of age who were receiving at-home care (92 patients) and a representative sample of elderly persons seen at a clinic (128 patients). The entire group of 220 patients came from an urban health district of Almería, Spain. We assessed patients using three questionnaires: the social support MOS, Yesavage geriatric scale, and Pfeiffer mental state questionnaire. Main Results : Mean age: 76.88 years; women: 60%; low educational level: 60%; married: 54.5%; income 50000-69000 pesetas/month: 49.5%. Mos : a) social network: 63.2% did not have any friends; 69.1% had one to five first-degree relatives, 5% had no relatives, and b) dimensions: 39.5%, 20.5%, and 30%, respectively, had deficits in their emotional and instrumental state, and affective support. Thirty-four percent (34.1%) had a deficient overall score. Pfeiffer: mild deficit, 16.4%; moderate deficit: 5.9%, severe deficit: 0.9%. Yesavage: moderate depression, 30.5%, severe depression: 16.4%. A statistically significant relation was found between older age and deficits in emotional support, affective state, and social interaction on the MOS (p = 0.0253, 0.0083, and 0.002, respectively), major depression (p = 0.05), and cognitive dete rioration (p = 0.0000). Men had a higher MOS social interaction score, lower degree of depression, and better intellectual state (p = 0.03, 0.0000, and 0.002, respectively). All results were unfavorable for elderly patients receiving at-home care. Conclusions : Our typical elderly patient was a 77-yearold woman of low educational level, married, who lived with other people, had an income of 50000 to 69000 pesetas/month, no friends, and 5 first-degree relatives. Older patients had greater deficits in the affective and emotional areas, social support, and cognitive state. Elderly persons who lived with other people and elderly men had a better affective and social interaction profile.