Science Journal of Public Health

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Burden of Non-Communicable Diseases among Geriatric Nigerians in a Rural Hospital in Resource-Constrained Setting of Eastern Nigeria

Received: 25 May 2013    Accepted:     Published: 30 July 2013
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Abstract

Background: Globally, there is an emerging increase in the population of elder citizens. Despite the process of natural aging, elderly population in addition suffers acute and chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) which are often neglected. Aim: This study was aimed at describing the burden (prevalence and pattern) of non-communicable diseases among geriatric Nigerians in a rural hospital in resource-constrained setting of Eastern Nigeria. Materials and Methods: This study was a descriptive hospital-based study of 286 geriatric patients with NCDs out of a total of 872 geriatric patients’ population in a rural Hospital in Imo state, South-Eastern Nigeria. The data collected included age, sex and diagnoses. Diagnoses of NCDs were based on clinical method of subjective complaints, objective findings and appropriate laboratory and radio-diagnostic confirmations. Results: Eight hundred and seventy two patients out of a total patients population of 9885 were 65 years and above. The geriatric population constituted 8.8% of total patients’ population. Five hundred and thirty (60.8%) of geriatric health problems were due to communicable diseases; two hundred and eighty-six (32.8%) were due to NCDs and fifty-six (6.4%) resulted from accidents, trauma and injuries. Of the 286 who had non-communicable diseases 176 (61.5%) were males while 110(38.5%) were females with a male to female ratio of 1.6: 1. The top five non-communicable diseases were hypertension 192 (67.1%), musculoskeletal disorders 126 (44.1%), dyspepsia 99 (34.6%), non-communicable visual impairment 96 (33.6%), and diabetes mellitus 25(8.7%) Conclusion: This study has shown that geriatric patients in the study area suffer NCDs with three most common being hypertension, musculoskeletal disorders and dyspepsia. There is therefore the need for preventive action against the scourge of geriatric non-communicable diseases.

DOI 10.11648/j.sjph.20130103.16
Published in Science Journal of Public Health (Volume 1, Issue 3, July 2013)
Page(s) 141-146
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Geriatrics, Hospital, Morbidity, Non-communicable diseases, Rural Nigeria

References
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Author Information
  • Department of Family Medicine, Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, Abia state, Nigeria and visiting Consultant Family Physician, St. Vincent De Paul Hospital, Amurie- Omanze, Imo state, Nigeria

  • Department of Public Health Technology, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo state, Nigeria

  • Department of Ophthalmology Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, Abia state, Nigeria

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  • APA Style

    Gabriel Uche Pascal Iloh, Agwu Nkwa Amadi, Abali Chuku. (2013). Burden of Non-Communicable Diseases among Geriatric Nigerians in a Rural Hospital in Resource-Constrained Setting of Eastern Nigeria. Science Journal of Public Health, 1(3), 141-146. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20130103.16

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    ACS Style

    Gabriel Uche Pascal Iloh; Agwu Nkwa Amadi; Abali Chuku. Burden of Non-Communicable Diseases among Geriatric Nigerians in a Rural Hospital in Resource-Constrained Setting of Eastern Nigeria. Sci. J. Public Health 2013, 1(3), 141-146. doi: 10.11648/j.sjph.20130103.16

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    AMA Style

    Gabriel Uche Pascal Iloh, Agwu Nkwa Amadi, Abali Chuku. Burden of Non-Communicable Diseases among Geriatric Nigerians in a Rural Hospital in Resource-Constrained Setting of Eastern Nigeria. Sci J Public Health. 2013;1(3):141-146. doi: 10.11648/j.sjph.20130103.16

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  • @article{10.11648/j.sjph.20130103.16,
      author = {Gabriel Uche Pascal Iloh and Agwu Nkwa Amadi and Abali Chuku},
      title = {Burden of Non-Communicable Diseases among Geriatric Nigerians in a Rural Hospital in Resource-Constrained Setting of Eastern Nigeria},
      journal = {Science Journal of Public Health},
      volume = {1},
      number = {3},
      pages = {141-146},
      doi = {10.11648/j.sjph.20130103.16},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20130103.16},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.sjph.20130103.16},
      abstract = {Background: Globally, there is an emerging increase in the population of elder citizens. Despite the process of natural aging, elderly population in addition suffers acute and chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) which are often neglected. Aim: This study was aimed at describing the burden (prevalence and pattern) of non-communicable diseases among geriatric Nigerians in a rural hospital in resource-constrained setting of Eastern Nigeria. Materials and Methods: This study was a descriptive hospital-based study of 286 geriatric patients with NCDs out of a total of 872 geriatric patients’ population in a rural Hospital in Imo state, South-Eastern Nigeria. The data collected included age, sex and diagnoses. Diagnoses of NCDs were based on clinical method of subjective complaints, objective findings and appropriate laboratory and radio-diagnostic confirmations. Results: Eight hundred and seventy two patients out of a total patients population of 9885 were 65 years and above. The geriatric population constituted 8.8% of total patients’ population. Five hundred and thirty (60.8%) of geriatric health problems were due to communicable diseases; two hundred and eighty-six (32.8%) were due to NCDs and fifty-six (6.4%) resulted from accidents, trauma and injuries. Of the 286 who had non-communicable diseases 176 (61.5%) were males while 110(38.5%) were females with a male to female ratio of 1.6: 1. The top five non-communicable diseases were hypertension 192 (67.1%), musculoskeletal disorders 126 (44.1%), dyspepsia 99 (34.6%), non-communicable visual impairment 96 (33.6%), and diabetes mellitus 25(8.7%) Conclusion: This study has shown that geriatric patients in the study area suffer NCDs with three most common being hypertension, musculoskeletal disorders and dyspepsia.  There is therefore the need for preventive action against the scourge of geriatric non-communicable diseases.},
     year = {2013}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Burden of Non-Communicable Diseases among Geriatric Nigerians in a Rural Hospital in Resource-Constrained Setting of Eastern Nigeria
    AU  - Gabriel Uche Pascal Iloh
    AU  - Agwu Nkwa Amadi
    AU  - Abali Chuku
    Y1  - 2013/07/30
    PY  - 2013
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    DO  - 10.11648/j.sjph.20130103.16
    T2  - Science Journal of Public Health
    JF  - Science Journal of Public Health
    JO  - Science Journal of Public Health
    SP  - 141
    EP  - 146
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2328-7950
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20130103.16
    AB  - Background: Globally, there is an emerging increase in the population of elder citizens. Despite the process of natural aging, elderly population in addition suffers acute and chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) which are often neglected. Aim: This study was aimed at describing the burden (prevalence and pattern) of non-communicable diseases among geriatric Nigerians in a rural hospital in resource-constrained setting of Eastern Nigeria. Materials and Methods: This study was a descriptive hospital-based study of 286 geriatric patients with NCDs out of a total of 872 geriatric patients’ population in a rural Hospital in Imo state, South-Eastern Nigeria. The data collected included age, sex and diagnoses. Diagnoses of NCDs were based on clinical method of subjective complaints, objective findings and appropriate laboratory and radio-diagnostic confirmations. Results: Eight hundred and seventy two patients out of a total patients population of 9885 were 65 years and above. The geriatric population constituted 8.8% of total patients’ population. Five hundred and thirty (60.8%) of geriatric health problems were due to communicable diseases; two hundred and eighty-six (32.8%) were due to NCDs and fifty-six (6.4%) resulted from accidents, trauma and injuries. Of the 286 who had non-communicable diseases 176 (61.5%) were males while 110(38.5%) were females with a male to female ratio of 1.6: 1. The top five non-communicable diseases were hypertension 192 (67.1%), musculoskeletal disorders 126 (44.1%), dyspepsia 99 (34.6%), non-communicable visual impairment 96 (33.6%), and diabetes mellitus 25(8.7%) Conclusion: This study has shown that geriatric patients in the study area suffer NCDs with three most common being hypertension, musculoskeletal disorders and dyspepsia.  There is therefore the need for preventive action against the scourge of geriatric non-communicable diseases.
    VL  - 1
    IS  - 3
    ER  - 

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