Evaluation of Elderly’s Integrated Healthcare components in primary healthcare centers of Tehran, Iran

Over the past few decades, significant demographic and epidemiological changes have been occurred and led to serious changes in the health-care needs of the elderly. Integrated care has been emerged as a strategy to provide better care for the elderly in the community. The aim of this study was conducted to evaluate components of integrated health-care program of the elderly.

This quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted in Tehran (Iran) in 2019. For the purpose of the study, a two-stage cluster sampling method was employed. In the firs stage, primary health-care centers were selected, then in the second stage, a systematic random sampling was conducted based on the number of the elderly covered by each center. level of frailty, medication use awareness, and self-care ability were evaluated by the elderly self-report questionnaire. The questionnaire was piloted with thirty respondents. The test–retest reliability score for the questionnaire was r = 0.795, P < 0.001. Data analysis of the questionnaire was conducted using generalized estimating equation model by SPSS software Version 22. Statistical significance for all analyses was set at P < 0.05.

Findings of the components showed that the mean ± standard deviation of frailty (80 ± 17) and self-care ability (87 ± 17) were higher than the mean of medication use awareness (49 ± 19). Frailty and self-care ability (β = frailty, self-care) of the elderly had a positive statistical significance with the ones with good financial status (β = 5, 10) and without chronic disease (β = 4, 5). Medication use awareness had a negative statistical significance with illiteracy (β = −9.5).

It is suggested that the medication use awareness of the elderly should be prioritized by improving integrated health-care program.