Most frequent biopsychosocial alterations in the elderly admitted to the Geriatric Ward

Abstract

Introduction: the phenomenon of the aging population is a fact of great social transcendence that raises the attention of multiple levels by the enormous consequences that are beginning to be noticed and that will be accentuated in the next years.
Objective: to describe the most frequent biopsychosocial alterations in elderly people who were admitted to the Geriatric Ward of the “Arnaldo Milián Castro” Hospital in the period from March 2016 to March 2017.
Methods: descriptive research was conducted, and primary data collection was done by reviewing medical records and geriatric assessments.
Results: male predominance was found, the age group corresponded to 80-89 years, the elderly who were unable to complete their primary studies predominated and most patients lived with their families. The most frequent chronic noncommunicable diseases were arterial hypertension, osteoarthrosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and psychological disorders such as depression, memory loss and sleep disorders. The greater number of the old ones had an intermediate sociofamiliar situation.
Conclusions: predominantly elderly men and the age group between 80 and 89 years, with unfinished primary schooling, living in regular housing conditions and married, and high blood pressure as a chronic non-transmissible disease. The main cause of hospitalization that affected the elderly was dyspnoea, and the most frequent psychological disorder was depression.