The Study Of The Functional Health Status Of The Aged In Xinxiang Country

Objective The aging of our population has become the increasingly prominent issue, and such a trend is marked by an accelerating growth from year to year. Undoubtedly, this will cause the enormous pressure to our health care and social services undoubtedly. The health problems of elderly population will be one of the outstanding public health issues for our future work. The rural elderly exceeds urban elderly both in amount and increment speed, while their economic status, living condition, social and medical security and the health service levels they enjoy are significantly lower than the urban elderly. So its health and health care problem are even more serious. Research on the rural elderly health problems is necessary.The primary goal of the aged care is to reduce the function impairment and decline self-care and social participation ability caused by disease, old failure., prolong its life expectancy (positive). But special study of our old man especially the rural one in function health is few, the research of healthy life expectancy indicators has just started.Our study try to use the experience of other countries research methods for reference, to demonstrate the feasibility of applying the indicator of health life expectancy for assessing the function health and the quality of expected remained years of the elderly people living in rural area.Methods For this purpose,during April Sept 1.2002 to Oct 31,we conducted a household interview survey in xinxiang county of Henan province the sample was a random one of xinxiang county of Henan province.the sample was a random one of 3422respondents aged 60years old or over,obtained with stratified cluster sample nethod.the sampling ratio was 2.07%,and respondent rate was 100%,.in every stage of the survey,weperformed quality control.The reliability of the investigation method and the internal consistency of the items for function measurement was acceptable.Using questionaire, we collectde date about general demographic and socio-economic characteristics,morbidity of chronio of adl(activity of daily living),IADL(instrumental activity of daily living)and GPF(Gross)physical function.We described the levels and characteristics of of function healththe causes of disability,then calculated and analyzed a group of indicators of health espectancy of the elderly respondents.Results 1.The mean age of the elderly was 70.0years old,the ses ratio was 98.5.the proportion of the elderly aged 75and over in female respodents was higher than in male.The elderly aged 75and over in female respodents was higher than in male. The sociaeconomio condition of famale was worse than male. the sociaeconomic condition worened with increaes of age.2. The prevalence of disabilities of Adl,IADL and GPF were respectivly 7.0%,20.6%and22.8%,They rose with increase of age,female higher than male.Although affect from age controlled,the level of the function haelth status lowered still with worsening of socia-economic conditions3.The main causes of the disabilities of the elderly people were cerebrovascular injuries,chronic obstruct pulmary diseases,unitentional injuries,muscular-conective tissue-skeletal diseases and cardiaovasioular diseases and so on.4.The life expectancy of disabilities (LED)of ADL at 60-64 age group wsal.8years.The LED of IADL and GPF were respectively5.4years and 6.0 years at the same age group,The life expectancy free from disabilities (DFE)of ADL, IADL and GPFwere respectively 14.9,11.3and 10.7years,the quality-adjusted life espectancy at 60-64group was 63.5%.Life expectancy was longer for female than for male (4.5additional years for 60-64group),but the LEDS of each group of function items were also longer for female than for male. The QALE and DFE were longer for the elderly with higher income than for those with lower income.The proportion of DFEin expected remained years decreased with increase of age.Conclusion Calculating the health life expectancy with the existence of one year and prevalence rate of disability with the ordinary life table is reasonable, convenient and flexible. The indicator quality-adjusted life expectancy has advantages on comparision of life quality in different people.