@2024 Afarand., IRAN
ISSN: 2008-2630 Iranian Journal of War & Public Health 2017;9(1):53-60
ISSN: 2008-2630 Iranian Journal of War & Public Health 2017;9(1):53-60
Prevalence of Physical Diseases and Disorders in Retired Armed Forces; a Case Study of Tehran City, Iran
ARTICLE INFO
Article Type
Descriptive & Survey StudyAuthors
Pirooz F. (*)Mohammadi Shahbolaghi F. (1)
Foroughan M. (1 )
(*) Iranian Research Center on Ageing, University of Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran
(1) Iranian Research Center on Ageing, University of Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Correspondence
Address: Iranian Research Center on Ageing, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Koodakyar Street, Daneshjoo Buolvarde, Evin, Tehran, IranPhone: +98 (21) 22548008
Fax: +98 (21) 22546043
fereshtehpirooz@gmail.com
Article History
Received: October 13, 2016Accepted: January 7, 2017
ePublished: March 10, 2017
ABSTRACT
Aims
The first step to respond to the health needs of the retirees of the military organizations is to identify such needs. The aim of the study was to determine the frequencies of physical problems and diseases of the military retirees, as well as to determine the potential impact of the services provided by the military organiztions on the old-age health needs.
Instrument & Methods In the cross-sectional descriptive-analytic study, 299 military retirees, who were residing in Tehran, were studied between 2013 and 2015. The subjects were selected via available purposeful sampling method method. Data was collected by the study questionnaire consisted of the abbreviated mental test score (AMTS) and a researcher-made questionnaire as the main survey of the study. Data was analyzed by SPSS 16 software using descriptive statistics and one-way ANOVA and independent T tests.
Findings 159 retirees (%53.2) were without any communication-limiting physical problem. Nevertheless, the most prevalent limiting disorder was the auditory problems (12.0%). 144 retirees (48.2%) were with active diseases, and the most prevalent diseases were high blood pressure (21.5%) and diabetes (19.4%). Totally, the physical health status was declared by 214 retirees (71.6%), and 15 retirees (5.0%), 77 retirees (25.7%), and 99 retirees (33.1%) declared their own satisfaction levels as very good, good, and moderate, respectively.
Conclusion The most important health problems of the military retirees are the chronic non-communicable diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and cardio-vascular diseases. Only one third of the subjects are satisfied with their own health status.
Instrument & Methods In the cross-sectional descriptive-analytic study, 299 military retirees, who were residing in Tehran, were studied between 2013 and 2015. The subjects were selected via available purposeful sampling method method. Data was collected by the study questionnaire consisted of the abbreviated mental test score (AMTS) and a researcher-made questionnaire as the main survey of the study. Data was analyzed by SPSS 16 software using descriptive statistics and one-way ANOVA and independent T tests.
Findings 159 retirees (%53.2) were without any communication-limiting physical problem. Nevertheless, the most prevalent limiting disorder was the auditory problems (12.0%). 144 retirees (48.2%) were with active diseases, and the most prevalent diseases were high blood pressure (21.5%) and diabetes (19.4%). Totally, the physical health status was declared by 214 retirees (71.6%), and 15 retirees (5.0%), 77 retirees (25.7%), and 99 retirees (33.1%) declared their own satisfaction levels as very good, good, and moderate, respectively.
Conclusion The most important health problems of the military retirees are the chronic non-communicable diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and cardio-vascular diseases. Only one third of the subjects are satisfied with their own health status.
CITATION LINKS
[1]Malek Afzali H, Eftekhary Baradaran M, Hejazi F, Tabriz R, Faridi T. Community mobilization to promote the health of the elderly in the neighborhood Complex Tehran. Hakim. 2006;9(4):1-6. [Persian]
[2]Harward School of Public Health. The global economic burden of non-communicable diseases in 2010. Boston: Word Economic Forum & Harward School of Public Health; 2011. Pp. 7-37.
[3]Ghasemi H, Harirchi M, Masnavi A, Rahgozar M, Akbarian M. Comparing quality of life between seniors living in families and institutionalized in nursing homes. Soc Welf. 2011;10(39):177-200. [Persian]
[4]Vahdaninia M, Goshtasebi A, Montazeri A, Maftoon F. Health-related quality of life in an elderly population in Iran: A population-based study. Payesh. 2005;4(2):113-20. [Persian]
[5]Mirzaei M, Shams-Ghahfarkhi M. Demographic characteristics of the elderly population in Iran according to the census 1976-2006. Iran J Ageing. 2007;2(5):326-31. [Persian]
[6]Mohaghghegh Kamal SH, Sajadi H, Zare H, Biglarian A. Assess the health needs aged pensioners of social security organization and national retirement fund research the city of Qom. Iran J Ageing. 2008;3(1):15-8. [Persian]
[7]Xie BO. Civic Engagement among older Chinese internet users. J Appl Gerontol. 2006;2008;28(4):1-8.
[8]Engel, R., Gallagher, L., & Lyle, D. S. (2010). Military deployments and children's academic achievement: Evidence from department of defense education activity schools. Econ Educ Rev. 2010;29(1):73-82.
[9]Woodhead C, Rona RJ, Iversen AC, MacManus D, Hotopf M, Dean K, et al. Health of national Service Veterans: an analysis of a community-based sample using data from the 2007 Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey of England. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2011;46(7):559-66.
[10]Hemingway H, Stafford M, Stansfeld S, Shipley M, Marmot M. Is the SF-36 a valid measure of change in population health? results from the whitehall II study. Br Med J. 1997;315(7118):1273-9.
[11]Brown CS, Baker TA, Mingo CA, Harden JT, Whitfield K, Aiken-Morgan AT, et al. A review of our roots: Blacks in gerontology, Oxford University. Gerontologist. 2014;54(1):108-16.
[12]Greenberg N, Jones E, Jones N, Fear NT, Wessely S. The injured mind in the UK Armed Forces. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2011;366(1562):261-7.
[13]Rantakokko M, Portegijs E, Viljanen A, Iwarsson S, Rantanen T. Life-space mobility and quality of life in community-dwelling older people. Qual Life Res. 2016;25(5):1189-97.
[14]Norouzi K, Abedi H A, Maddah SSB, Mohammadi X. Development of a community based care system model for Senior Citizens in Tehran. Iran Rehabil J. 2005;3(3):48-60.
[15]Mohaqeqi-Kamal H, Sajadi H, Zare H, Beiglarian A. Elderly quality of life: A comparison between pensioners of Social Security Organization and National Retirement Fund (Qom County, 2006). J Health Adm. 2007;10(27):49-57. [Persian]
[16]Higate PR. Tough bodies and rough sleeping: Embodying homelessness amongst ex-servicemen. Hous Theory Soc. 2000;17(3):97-108.
[17]Iversen A1, Waterdrinker A, Fear N, Greenberg N, Barker C, Hotopf M, et al. Factors associated with heavy alcohol consumption in the UK Armed Forces: Data from a health survey of Gulf, Bosnia, and Era Veterans. Mil Med. 2007;172(9):956-61.
[18]Maddah SB. The status of social and leisure time activities among elderly residing in Iran and Sweden. Iran J Ageing. 2008;3(2):597-606. [Persian]
[19]Bakhtiyari F, Foroughan M, Fakhrzadeh H, Nazari N, Najafi B, Alizade M, at al. Validation of the persian version of abbreviated mental test (AMT) in elderly residents of Kahrizak charity foundation. Iran J Diabetes Metab. 2009;13(6):487-94. [Persian]
[20]Yazdani A, Fekrazad H, Sajadi H, Salehi M. Relationship between social participation and general health among the elderly. J Kermanshah Univ Med Sci. 2010;18(10):599-606. [Persian]
[21]Barati M. Fathi Y, Soltanian AR, Moeini B. Mental health condition and health promoting behaviors among elders in Hamadan. Sci J Hamadan Nurs Midwifery Fac. 2012;20(3):12-22. [Persian]
[22]Nejati V. Assessing the health status of elderly people in the province of Qom (2007). J Qazvin Univ Med Sci 2009;13(1):67-72. [Persian]
[23]Dandeker C, Wessely S, Iversen A, Ross J. What's in a name? defining and caring for “veterans”. Armed Forces Soc. 2006;32(2):161-77.
[24]Albou Korki M, Ramezani MA, Arizi F. A study on the quality of life among elderly shahinshahr area of isfahan province in year 2004. Jundishapur Sci Med J. 2007;5(4):701-7. [Persian]
[25]Noroozian M. The elderly population in Iran: An ever growing concern in the health system. Iran J Psychiatry Behav Sci. 2012;6(2):1-6.
[26]De Leo D, Diekstra RF, Lonnqvist J, Trabucchi M, Cleiren MH, Frisoni GB, et al. LEIPAD, an internationally applicable instrument to assess quality of life in the elderly. Behav Med. 1998;24(1):17-27.
[27]Yavari HR, Akbari Kamrani AA, Bakhshi E, Saboor M, Sahhaf R. Association between polypharmacy and socio-demographic factors among elderly residents of kahrizak charity foundation, Tehran, 2010-2011. Salmand. 2014;8(4):7-14. [Persian]
[28]Howard RT. Inappropriate prescribing in older people. Age Ageing. 2004;33(6):530-2.
[29]Shalini J. Study of polypharmacy and associated problems among elderly patients. Internet J Med Update. 2012;7(1):1-10.
[30]Kaufman DW, Kelly JP, Rosenberg L, Anderson TE, Mitchell AA. Recent patterns of medication use in the ambulatory adult population of the United States: the Slone survey. JAMA. 2002;287(3):337-44.
[31]Söderhamn O, Lindencrona C, Gustavsson SM. Attitudes toward older people among nursing students and registered nurses in Sweden. Nurs Educ Today. 2001;21(3):225-9.
[2]Harward School of Public Health. The global economic burden of non-communicable diseases in 2010. Boston: Word Economic Forum & Harward School of Public Health; 2011. Pp. 7-37.
[3]Ghasemi H, Harirchi M, Masnavi A, Rahgozar M, Akbarian M. Comparing quality of life between seniors living in families and institutionalized in nursing homes. Soc Welf. 2011;10(39):177-200. [Persian]
[4]Vahdaninia M, Goshtasebi A, Montazeri A, Maftoon F. Health-related quality of life in an elderly population in Iran: A population-based study. Payesh. 2005;4(2):113-20. [Persian]
[5]Mirzaei M, Shams-Ghahfarkhi M. Demographic characteristics of the elderly population in Iran according to the census 1976-2006. Iran J Ageing. 2007;2(5):326-31. [Persian]
[6]Mohaghghegh Kamal SH, Sajadi H, Zare H, Biglarian A. Assess the health needs aged pensioners of social security organization and national retirement fund research the city of Qom. Iran J Ageing. 2008;3(1):15-8. [Persian]
[7]Xie BO. Civic Engagement among older Chinese internet users. J Appl Gerontol. 2006;2008;28(4):1-8.
[8]Engel, R., Gallagher, L., & Lyle, D. S. (2010). Military deployments and children's academic achievement: Evidence from department of defense education activity schools. Econ Educ Rev. 2010;29(1):73-82.
[9]Woodhead C, Rona RJ, Iversen AC, MacManus D, Hotopf M, Dean K, et al. Health of national Service Veterans: an analysis of a community-based sample using data from the 2007 Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey of England. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2011;46(7):559-66.
[10]Hemingway H, Stafford M, Stansfeld S, Shipley M, Marmot M. Is the SF-36 a valid measure of change in population health? results from the whitehall II study. Br Med J. 1997;315(7118):1273-9.
[11]Brown CS, Baker TA, Mingo CA, Harden JT, Whitfield K, Aiken-Morgan AT, et al. A review of our roots: Blacks in gerontology, Oxford University. Gerontologist. 2014;54(1):108-16.
[12]Greenberg N, Jones E, Jones N, Fear NT, Wessely S. The injured mind in the UK Armed Forces. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2011;366(1562):261-7.
[13]Rantakokko M, Portegijs E, Viljanen A, Iwarsson S, Rantanen T. Life-space mobility and quality of life in community-dwelling older people. Qual Life Res. 2016;25(5):1189-97.
[14]Norouzi K, Abedi H A, Maddah SSB, Mohammadi X. Development of a community based care system model for Senior Citizens in Tehran. Iran Rehabil J. 2005;3(3):48-60.
[15]Mohaqeqi-Kamal H, Sajadi H, Zare H, Beiglarian A. Elderly quality of life: A comparison between pensioners of Social Security Organization and National Retirement Fund (Qom County, 2006). J Health Adm. 2007;10(27):49-57. [Persian]
[16]Higate PR. Tough bodies and rough sleeping: Embodying homelessness amongst ex-servicemen. Hous Theory Soc. 2000;17(3):97-108.
[17]Iversen A1, Waterdrinker A, Fear N, Greenberg N, Barker C, Hotopf M, et al. Factors associated with heavy alcohol consumption in the UK Armed Forces: Data from a health survey of Gulf, Bosnia, and Era Veterans. Mil Med. 2007;172(9):956-61.
[18]Maddah SB. The status of social and leisure time activities among elderly residing in Iran and Sweden. Iran J Ageing. 2008;3(2):597-606. [Persian]
[19]Bakhtiyari F, Foroughan M, Fakhrzadeh H, Nazari N, Najafi B, Alizade M, at al. Validation of the persian version of abbreviated mental test (AMT) in elderly residents of Kahrizak charity foundation. Iran J Diabetes Metab. 2009;13(6):487-94. [Persian]
[20]Yazdani A, Fekrazad H, Sajadi H, Salehi M. Relationship between social participation and general health among the elderly. J Kermanshah Univ Med Sci. 2010;18(10):599-606. [Persian]
[21]Barati M. Fathi Y, Soltanian AR, Moeini B. Mental health condition and health promoting behaviors among elders in Hamadan. Sci J Hamadan Nurs Midwifery Fac. 2012;20(3):12-22. [Persian]
[22]Nejati V. Assessing the health status of elderly people in the province of Qom (2007). J Qazvin Univ Med Sci 2009;13(1):67-72. [Persian]
[23]Dandeker C, Wessely S, Iversen A, Ross J. What's in a name? defining and caring for “veterans”. Armed Forces Soc. 2006;32(2):161-77.
[24]Albou Korki M, Ramezani MA, Arizi F. A study on the quality of life among elderly shahinshahr area of isfahan province in year 2004. Jundishapur Sci Med J. 2007;5(4):701-7. [Persian]
[25]Noroozian M. The elderly population in Iran: An ever growing concern in the health system. Iran J Psychiatry Behav Sci. 2012;6(2):1-6.
[26]De Leo D, Diekstra RF, Lonnqvist J, Trabucchi M, Cleiren MH, Frisoni GB, et al. LEIPAD, an internationally applicable instrument to assess quality of life in the elderly. Behav Med. 1998;24(1):17-27.
[27]Yavari HR, Akbari Kamrani AA, Bakhshi E, Saboor M, Sahhaf R. Association between polypharmacy and socio-demographic factors among elderly residents of kahrizak charity foundation, Tehran, 2010-2011. Salmand. 2014;8(4):7-14. [Persian]
[28]Howard RT. Inappropriate prescribing in older people. Age Ageing. 2004;33(6):530-2.
[29]Shalini J. Study of polypharmacy and associated problems among elderly patients. Internet J Med Update. 2012;7(1):1-10.
[30]Kaufman DW, Kelly JP, Rosenberg L, Anderson TE, Mitchell AA. Recent patterns of medication use in the ambulatory adult population of the United States: the Slone survey. JAMA. 2002;287(3):337-44.
[31]Söderhamn O, Lindencrona C, Gustavsson SM. Attitudes toward older people among nursing students and registered nurses in Sweden. Nurs Educ Today. 2001;21(3):225-9.