A comparison study on Socio-economic variables and life satisfaction among the elders people, Gorgan, in 2004 and 2009

Bnackground: The elder population and their proportion of the total population are increasing in our country. Their population has reached to 7.3 percent of total population in 2006 compared with their population at 1996 and it shows a 1.5 times increase during ten years.The aim of this study was to compare the socio-economic situation of elder people who were living in two areas in Gorgan city, Golestan province in north of Iran, which is covered by 4th and 5th urban health center between in 2004 and 2009. A descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study has been conducted among 884 elder people who were resident in the study area at 2009. Data collection has been done through a questionnaire, filled out by trained persons. The results are compared with the outcomes of pervious unpublished study at 2004 which has been carried out among 315 elder people in the same study area. Qui-Square and independent T-test statistical methods used to analysis the data. We use SAS version 9.2 to analyze the data. Mean age of elder people was 67.2± 6.7 at 2009 and 67.6± 6.7 years at 2004. Educational level had a significant change in 2009 compared with 2004 (P=0.0002). Compared with 2004, marital status (P=0.0021) and economical level (P<0.0001) had statistically significant changes in 2009. Moreover, visiting friends, going to park, going for movies and visiting the family showed statistical significant change in 2009 compared to 2004 by P<0.001, P=0.0173, P=0.0001, P=0.0435 and P=0.0001 respectively. In addition, being high energetic showed a statistically significant change (P<0.01) in 2009 compared to 2004, when we considered the satisfaction of life among elders. It is necessary to pay more attention to social, economic and life satisfaction problems of elder people which are dramatically growing by increasing the elder population and their higher proportion in entire population of the world particularly in Iran. We need a comprehensive plan to cover and solve their problems in these fields.