This study was carried out to identify diseases pattern of elders aged 65 years and over which may be used as basic data for developing measures to cope with health care problems of elders. The subjects of this study were 8,333 elders discharged
from
hospitals and clinics located in Pusan City and Kyungsangnam-do during June 1 to June 30, 1992, and 23,776 elders who visited the hospitals and clinics in Pusan City and Kyungsangnam-do for medical care on August 26, 1992.
A file of data for this study was provided by the Ministry of Health and Welfare which conducted A national Patients Census in 1992. Diseases pattern were classified with three-digit categories of International Diseases Classification revised in
1975.
The top ten common diseases of discharged elder were that the first cataract (4.70%), the second diabetes mellitus (2.54%), the third conscussion (2.53), the fourth fracture of tibia and fibula (2.18%), the fifth cerebral laceration and contusion
(2.16%), the sixth sprains and strains of other and unspecified parts of back (1.80%), the seventh essential hypertension (1.78%), the eighth contusion of low limb and of other unspecified sites (1.76%), the nineth acute appendicitis (1.58%), the
tenth
chronic airways obstruction, not elsewhere classified (1.54%). The spells of these top ten common diseases were 22.6% of the total spells of the subjects.
The top ten common diseases of outpatient elders were that the first gastritis and duodenitis (4.02%), the second essential hypertension (3.14%), the third other and unspecified disorders of back (3.10%), the fourth diseases of hard tissues of
teeth
(3.04%), the fifth inflammatory disease of cervix, vagina and vulva (2.99%), the sixth diseases of pulp and periapical tissues (2.69%), the seventh acute nasopharyngitis (2.16%), the eighth sprains and strains of other and unspecified parts of
back
(2.01%), the nineth gingival and periodontal diseases (1.80%), the tenth contact dermatitis and other eczema (1.71%). The spells of these top ten common diseases were 26.7% of the total spells of the subjects.
Considering diseases pattern of elders, it can be inferred that it is important for elders to take nutritionally balanced diet, to have healthy lifestyle, to practice physical exercises and to organize effective health programs for the secondary
prevention in order to live life long actively.
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