dahiyars
July 16th, 2006, 12:15 AM
Health problems of the elderly
In India there is a dual burden of disease communicable and also degenerative.
As immune functions decline and atrophic changes take place in the various organs, poor malnutrition there is an increase in vulnerability to infections. Degenerative changes take place Cardio vascular diseases, hyper tension, dental problems, hardness of hearing, joint pains, poor digestion.
Disorders of respiratory system were found to be the most common INFECTIUON. Among the infection diseases Pneumonia is 50 times more common in the elderly than in adolescents and 50% of the respiratory deaths excluding Cancer are accounted for by this.
Distribution of Old Age, death by System 60+ in rural India – Top 5 Causes 1993
Disorders of the respiratory system 33.7%
Disorders of circulatory system 21.6%
Other clear symptoms 18.1%
Disorders of C N S 9.6%
Fevers 6.6%
Distribution of Old Age Deaths by the Diseases (60+ in rural India, 1993
Bronchitis Asthma 25.8%
Heart attack 13.2%
Paralysis 8.4%
Cancer 7.1%
TB of the lungs
5.8%
TOMORROW’S ELDERLY ARE TODAY’S ADULTS
AND YESTERDAY’S CHILDREN
R.S.Dahiya
In India there is a dual burden of disease communicable and also degenerative.
As immune functions decline and atrophic changes take place in the various organs, poor malnutrition there is an increase in vulnerability to infections. Degenerative changes take place Cardio vascular diseases, hyper tension, dental problems, hardness of hearing, joint pains, poor digestion.
Disorders of respiratory system were found to be the most common INFECTIUON. Among the infection diseases Pneumonia is 50 times more common in the elderly than in adolescents and 50% of the respiratory deaths excluding Cancer are accounted for by this.
Distribution of Old Age, death by System 60+ in rural India – Top 5 Causes 1993
Disorders of the respiratory system 33.7%
Disorders of circulatory system 21.6%
Other clear symptoms 18.1%
Disorders of C N S 9.6%
Fevers 6.6%
Distribution of Old Age Deaths by the Diseases (60+ in rural India, 1993
Bronchitis Asthma 25.8%
Heart attack 13.2%
Paralysis 8.4%
Cancer 7.1%
TB of the lungs
5.8%
TOMORROW’S ELDERLY ARE TODAY’S ADULTS
AND YESTERDAY’S CHILDREN
R.S.Dahiya