Turkish Journal of
GERIATRICS

Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Halk Sağlığı Anabilim Dalı, İZMİR Preventive health services for the elderly aims to preserve independent living and delay disability. Comprehensive geriatric assesment to determine risk factors for disability is fundamental for preventive interventions. This is a cross-sectional analytic study, completed on 177 community dwelling elderly, to determine prevelance and risk factors for disability in elderly. They were interviewed at their homes. Study group was 58.8% female, 63.3% married, 49.7% primary school graduates. 96.0% had health security, 93.8% had regular income 88.7% lived in apartments, 21.5% lived alone. The elderly were dependent mostly in bladder control, stair climbing and bathing, respectively, among the basic activities of daily living(ADL). Those having difficulty in performing at least one of the activities were described disable. The elderly having diabetes, hypertension, cerebrovascular event history, musculoskeletal diseases and osteoporosis had higher disability. Risk factors for disability in basic ADL, analysed by backward logistic regression models, are old age (75+), high comorbidity and loss of time orientation. Risk factors for disability determined by this study are concordant with the literature. Women are more disabled. Urinary incontinence is a determinant of disability. The community-dwelling elderly should be assessed focusing on risk factors for disability, by the primary care staff, in the homes of the elderly, in collaboration with other related professionals. Health services for the elderly should aim at the younger elderly before disability developes and should support activities they are unable to perform. Studies should be conducted in Turkey to specify the risk factors for dependence. Keywords : Elderly, Activities of daily living, Dependent,Disability, Risk factors.