Turkish Journal of
GERIATRICS

Kocaeli Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi, Halk Sağlığı Anabilim Dalı-Kocaeli The aim of this study was to determine the chronic diseases, drug using problems and utilization of health services by the elderly living in Degirmendere (Yuzbasilar) and Korfez (Yarimca) districts. The study has been done using face interview technique from June 1999 to 17 August 1999. We tried to reach to all of the elderly from living in Yuzbasilar and Korfez area. The most common diseases among these elderly people were hypertension (%44.1), heart diseases (%25.4), osteoartritis (%27.5) , diabetes mellitus (%14) and osteoporosis (%9.7). The distribution of diseases with respect to sex has been found to be statistically significant (In females). Multiple drug use increases with age because they have more chronic illness that require and long term drug therapies. It has been seen that multiple drug use is the most important problem in the elderly. The distribution of drug use with respect to sex has been found to be significant (Drugs are uses for osteoporosis, antihipertansive, cardiyovascular, and vitamin, in females). Most of the physician contacts have been made at public hospitals by the health services and private physicians. As a conclusion we can propose that; the elderly should be given priority from their health point of view, and there should be organized health centers. The places which the elderly are of many, and also the places to be easily reached should be given preferences. There in the said places to be preventive medicine should be given preferences. There in the said places preventive medicine should be held with importance. Apart from the necessity for the geriatric centers for the elderly patients, there is also a great need for social services to take care of the healthy elderly. In order to raise the utilization rate of health services and that public hospitals and centers should be supported. On the other hand, the number of SSK primary care centers should be increased. Additional programmes to increase the use of primary health care centers found to be necessary .It is also another wish that those who already have health insurance should utilize those services in a more organized way. Meanwhile, new politics should be developed towards those who do not have a health insurance to make them enable to profit the same services. Keywords : Drug use, Elderly, Chronic diseases, Utilization of health services, Primary care