Morbidity profile among older people at primary health care centers in Saudi Arabia during the period 2012-2020

Abstract

Objectives: To evaluate the morbidity profile and explore the geriatric giants, health problems, and their risk factors among old people in the older people health clinics at primary health care centers (PHCCs) in Saudi Arabia.

Methods: This is a record-based descriptive cross-sectional study. Data was collected between 2012-2020 using the health data of older people to whom comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) was carried out at 1,481 PHCCs in Saudi Arabia. Data included sociodemographic and health related characteristics, medications, results of CGA, complete clinical examination, and laboratory results. Assessment was carried out for diabetes, hypertension, obesity, underweight, vision and hearing impairments, depression, memory and cognitive impairment, risk of falls, urine incontinence, bronchial asthma, and anemia.

Results: A total of 193,715 older people were screened. A high prevalence of diabetes (55.4%), hypertension (49.1%), diabetes and hypertension co-morbidity (26.8%), and obesity (22.2%) were found. The overall prevalence of anemia was 4.7% and asthma 8.9%. The prevalence of positive screening for depression was 5.9%, 2.9% for memory and cognitive impairment, 6.3% for urine incontinence, and 4.0% for risk of fall. The prevalence of vision impairment was 20.6%, hearing impairments was 12.6%, and for underweight it was 5.4%. There was high prevalence of risk factors like smoking (8.5%), and polypharmacy (25.3%). Health regions varied widely in prevalence of the studied health conditions.

Conclusion: The study findings highlight the importance of CGA in early detection of geriatric giants, health problems, and associated risk factors among Saudi older people.

Keywords: geriatric giants; morbidity profile; older people; primary health care.