Comparison of the old population's health status and chronic diseases in the urban and rural areas of Zahedan, Iran in 2012

The aging population is a group of the community that is most vulnerable to social, health, and environmental damages. According to World Health Organization, the number of the old individuals is increasing rapidly. This study was conducted to assess the overall health status and identify prevalent chronic diseases among the ageing urban and rural Zahedani populations.
The present cross-sectional study was conducted in Zahedan in 2012. The study population consisted of the ageing population from rural and urban areas of Zahedan selected through multistage random sampling (100 urban and 100 rural individuals). The study data were gathered through the general health questionnaire and a checklist assessing chronic diseases. Then, the results were analyzed using the SPSS statistical software and descriptive as well as inferential statistics.
In this study, study subject's health score was above the cut-off point (23) indicating poor health (general health score was 30.43 and 32.32 for the urban and rural old population, respectively). Besides, the male's general health was higher than that of the females (p=0.040). Also, the urban population showed a better health status compared to the rural one (p=0.023). The most prevalent diseases among the urban and rural elderly population were cardiovascular (44%) and eye problems (71%), respectively. Moreover, ear problems and hearing loss (50%) were the most common deficiencies in the two study groups.
The prevalence of chronic diseases, such as hearing loss, cardiovascular diseases, and eye problems, in the elderly population is of utmost importance. Therefore, the health and treatment network managers are recommended to provide the ground for reducing these diseases among the aging population by appropriate plans and interventions.