The Prevalence and Factors Related to Geriatric Syndromes among Ophthalmic Older Patients at Mettapracharak Hospital (Wat Raikhing)

Abstract

This correlational study aimed to describe the prevalence of geriatric syndrome, and analyze the relationship between personal factors and geriatric syndrome. The sample group was 120 older patients, using services at the outpatient department. The instrument for data collection consisted of a personal information interview guide and comprehensive geriatric assessment tools, including 3 domains (9 aspects of geriatric syndrome). Those tools were ready-approved quality through content validity and reliability. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Spearman Rank Correlation Coefficient statistics. The results showed that most of the sample were female (55.80%) with multi-morbidities and polypharmacy, with average years 69.93 ( = 69.93, SD = 6.55). The top 3 symptoms included knee osteoarthritis, urinary incontinence and instability/fall risk. Those presented among female than male, in 60-69 years old. Gender was associated with instability significantly (r_s = .293). Age was associated significantly with instability, urinary incontinence, and knee osteoarthritis (r_s = .276; r_s = .245; r_s = -.182) (p-value = .05). Professional nurses in the area of geriatrics should receive training in developing the use of tools to assess the health of the elderly with accuracy while ensuring that all dimensions of health are 3 covered in order to use them in planning the provision of quality clinical services for the elderly.