Prevalence of chronic diseases among the elderly in Changsha community and its influencing factors / 中华老年医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To study the epidemiological tendency and influencing factors for major chronic diseases in the elderly in Changsha,and to provide the scientific basis for the prevention and control strategies for the aged people.Methods Multi-stage randomized cluster sampling method was used in selecting 3135 persons aged 65 and over in Changsha.Using unified questionnaire and face to face asking method to investigate the prevalence of chronic diseases and its influencing factors.Results 95.7％ of questionnaires were valid (3000/3135).The total prevalence rate of chronic disease was 86.33％ in patients aged from 65-96 (74.83±6.63) years,with 85.49％ (1332) in males,and 87.23％ (1258) infemales(x2=1.93,P=0.164).Most of them had 1-3 kinds of chronic diseases,in 1 patient with 13 kinds of chronic diseases at the most.The most common chronic diseases among the elderly were hypertension,heart diseases,osteoarthritis,diabetes mellitus,benign prostatic hyperplasia,and fatty liver.Multivariate logistic regression suggested that age,marital status,smoking,quality of sleep were common influencing factors for hypertension,heart diseases and diabetes mellitus.Conclusions The prevalence of chronic diseases is high and the influencing factors are ubiquitous among the elderly in Changsha community.Community health education should be carried out to improve the effect of prevention and control of chronic diseases.