A Community Study on the Elderly in Dubai/UAE to Plan for Future Geriatric Services
A Community Study on the Elderly In Dubai/UAE to Plan for Future Geriatric Services
Douaa Fathi1 , Madiha Hamdi1 , Salwa AlSuwaidi1 , Dana Shaltoni3 , Olfat Zuhair1 , Dr. Sajedah Shaltoni1 , Dr A. Abyad2 , Dr Ebtihal Darwish1 , Dr Layla Al Hosani1 1 Dubai Health Authority, United Arab Emirates, 2 Abyad Medical Centre, , Lebanon, 3 Student RCSI, , Bahrain
Paper Num: 30
The percentage of elderly in the Middle East is expected to increase as the youthful masses work their way up the population pyramid due to the improvements in health care. According to the WHO Department of Aging 2000 report, most Middle Eastern countries will be entering the window of opportunity during this decade, and the window is expected to last until midcentury. It is during this lucrative period that the groundwork for future geriatric services should be firmly established and nurtured. Therefore, this cross sectional study aims to assess the health needs of the elderly in order to deliver solid data for providing future geriatric services that can improve the quality of life of the elderly in the region. Information was gathered from elderly attending many health care and elderly facilities in Dubai, UAE. People who lived in the UAE and were 65 years old or above were included whilst those who were only visiting the UAE were not included. Overall, the total elderly population in Dubai is estimated to be 32,000 people. With a margin of error of 5% and a confidence level of 90%, the recommended sample size turned out to be 269 people. The sample size included in the study consisted of 300 individuals. The interRAI organization’s community health assessment instrument (interRAI CHA) was used as a tool for gathering information. After filling in all the questionnaires, the data was entered into the SPSS Statistics program for analysis. The results obtained delineated which diseases need our support and improved prevention or management. By filling the gaps in elderly health care and by recognizing which aspects of care need our attention, we can ensure a better quality of life.
Wonca EMR Family Medicine Congress 2016 | 17 – 19 March 2016 | Dubai, United Arab Emirates
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