Clinical and epidemiological characterization of disability in the elderly population

Abstract

Introduction: the phenomenon of population aging has contributed to the increasing prevalence of disability in the elderly. Objective: to characterize clinically and epidemiologically the disability in the elderly population of the medical office No. 14 belonging to the Popular Council Hermanos Saíz, San Juan y Martínez, in the period 2018-2020. Method: an observational, descriptive, prospective study was conducted covering the population over 60 years of age. The sample consisted of 154 elderly adults with disabilities, selected by systematic and stratified sampling. Theoretical, empirical and statistical methods were used. Instruments such as the Katz Index, Lawton Index, Minimum Mental Status Examination, and the Survey of Disability Risk Factors (EFRD) were applied. Descriptive statistics were used for data analysis and processing. This research complied with the ethics fundamentals of the Declaration of Helsinki 2008. Results: there is a predominance of female sex, age group between 60 and 69 years, and primary education level. The highest percentage is single, retired or pensioned. Acquired disability and, within them, physical, motor and mental disabilities are the most frequent. The most prevalent morbidity is arterial hypertension. Predominance of functioning level III. The most frequent risk factors are female sex, age, education and chronic non-communicable diseases. Conclusions: knowledge of the epidemiological behavior of the elderly with disabilities will allow the development of actions with a promotional approach to improve quality of life and thus health.