Socio-demographic characteristics and health status of urban thai elderly

• Published in: Southeast Asian journal of tropical medicine and public health Vol. 25; no. 3; pp. 583 - 589
• Main Authors: PONGPAEW, P, TUNGTRONGCHITR, R, LERTCHAVANAKUL, A, PHONRAT, B, TAWPRASERT, S, MIGASENA, P, SCHELP, F. P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bangkok Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization, Regional Tropical Medicine and Public Health Network 01.09.1994
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biological and medical sciences; Demography; Female; Health Status; Humans; Life Style; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Prevention and actions; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Social Class; Specific populations (family, woman, child, elderly...); Surveys and Questionnaires; Thailand; Tropical medicine; Urban Population; Thailand; Asia; Human; Health; Elderly; Socioeconomic category; Risk factor
• ISSN: 0125-1562

Socio-demographic and health status of 205 elderly aged 60-90 years who attended a special clinic for the elderly at Rajvithi Hospital were investigated. All of the subjects had no major complaints and seemed to be apparently healthy. Socio-economic situation, life-style pattern and other health related information was assessed. Nearly all of the elderly lived with their relatives. Quite a high number of the females had never attended school. Almost 60% of the elderly had no regular income. The health situation of the individuals under investigation seemed to be satisfactory. The majority did not smoke and did not drink alcohol. There are indications that in the future more of the elderly population will stay alone and will face economical problems because of the absence of general social security scheme for Thailand.