[What is the prevalence of elderly persons at high risk in primary care?].

OBJECTIVES

To find the prevalence in a Health District of elderly people at high risk and the reasons for their inclusion in this category. To evaluate the percentage of patients requiring home care.

DESIGN

A crossover descriptive study.

SETTING

Urban health centre.

STUDY POPULATION: patients over 65, TARGET POPULATION: elderly people with their medical notes at our centre.

SAMPLE: 329 individuals chosen by systematic sampling of everyone over 65.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN

RESULTS

The elderly person is defined as at high risk or fragile when he/she fulfils one of the following criteria: a recent hospital release, physical incapacity, mental deterioration, over 80, in an institution, confinement to the home, living alone or being widowed, and recent change of home. There was 38.07% prevalence of elderly people at high risk. The main reasons for classification as elderly people at high risk were: age over 80, living alone and physical incapacity. There is a significant link between being an elderly person at high risk and female. 31.7% of elderly people at high risk have a physical incapacity which prevents their attendance at the health centre.

CONCLUSIONS

It needs to be bome in mind that almost 40% of the over-65s are included in the groups of elderly people at high risk and therefore need special attention from Primary Care professionals. Our organisation needs to be adapted to the growing demand for home visits, which should cover at least 12% of those over 65 and 31% of the fragile elderly.