Margolis S A, Reed R L
United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates.
Gerontology. 2001 May-Jun;47(3):161-7. doi: 10.1159/000052791.
Little is known about the rate of institutionalization and health status of nursing home (NH) type patients living in the Middle East. This study was set in the Al-Ain Medical District, a geographically discrete region of the United Arab Emirates, a country with a developing economy located on the shores of the Arabian Gulf. NH-type patients were defined as people aged 60 years and older who were admitted to a hospital or a long-term institutionalized setting for at least 6 weeks and with no evidence of an expectation of discharge at the time of the evaluation.
To determine the clinical, functional, cognitive, and nutritional status of NH-type patients living in a defined community within a developing country.
Cross-sectional survey.
All NH-type patients were identified, and all were included in this study (n = 47, 100% participation rate). All were located within three public institutions, none of which was a dedicated NH facility. The rate of institutionalization was 7.0-14.0 per 1,000 people aged 65 or older. The age distribution was 30% (60-74 years), 49% (75-84 years), and 21% (85+ years). The length of stay was 3.8 years. The female:male ratio was 1.6. All except 1 had a neurological disorder, and 89% had dementia. The cognitive deficits were severe with only 61% alert, 41% able to speak, 17% orientated in place, and 15% orientated in time. The functional status was also poor: 98% received assistance with all instrumental activities of daily living, 85% received assistance with five activities of daily living, and 94% were bed bound. The nutritional status was also impaired with a mean body weight of 45 +/- 14 kg and a mean albumin level of 3.1 +/- 0.6 g/dl. When compared with the USA data from the National Center for Health Statistics, the study population was younger, had a longer length of stay, a lower female:male ratio, a higher rate of neurological diseases and dementia, and were far more dependent and disoriented. The rate of institutionalization was one sixth to one third of that in the USA.
From these data we concluded that this region has a distinctly different population of institutionalized older people who demonstrate greater impairments in all domains of health status.
关于中东地区养老院类型患者的机构收容率和健康状况，人们了解甚少。本研究在阿联酋艾因医疗区开展，该地区是阿拉伯联合酋长国一个地理上相对独立的区域，阿联酋是一个经济正在发展的国家，位于阿拉伯湾沿岸。养老院类型患者被定义为60岁及以上的人群，他们被收治入院或长期入住机构至少6周，且在评估时没有出院的预期迹象。
确定发展中国家特定社区内养老院类型患者的临床、功能、认知和营养状况。
横断面调查。
所有养老院类型患者均被识别，且全部纳入本研究（n = 47，参与率100%）。所有患者均位于三家公共机构内，其中没有一家是专门的养老院设施。65岁及以上人群的机构收容率为每1000人中有7.0 - 14.0人。年龄分布为30%（60 - 74岁）、49%（75 - 84岁）和21%（85岁及以上）。住院时间为3.8年。女性与男性的比例为1.6。除1人外，所有人都患有神经系统疾病，89%患有痴呆症。认知缺陷严重，只有61%意识清醒，41%能够说话，17%能认清方位，15%能认清时间。功能状况也很差：98%的患者在所有日常生活工具性活动中都需要协助，85%的患者在五项日常生活活动中需要协助，94%的患者卧床不起。营养状况也受到损害，平均体重为45±14千克，平均白蛋白水平为3.1±0.6克/分升。与美国国家卫生统计中心的数据相比，研究人群更年轻，住院时间更长，女性与男性的比例更低，神经系统疾病和痴呆症的发病率更高，且依赖性更强、定向力更差。机构收容率是美国的六分之一到三分之一。
根据这些数据我们得出结论，该地区机构收容的老年人有明显不同的群体，他们在健康状况的所有方面都表现出更大的损害。
