Kemp F M, Acheson R M
Community Med. 1989 Feb;11(1):21-6. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.pubmed.a042442.
A study carried out in East Anglia identified a number of aspects of the lives of elderly people living alone and some of these are reported here. A sample of 2000 elderly people from 20 general practitioner practices was selected for interview. Overall, there was a response rate of 88 per cent. Of those age 75 and over, 43 per cent lived alone, this proportion being higher in urban areas, in council, privately rented and sheltered housing and amongst women. There is a high level of informal support for elderly people living alone, although there is also a large number who do not have regular frequent visitors. Of the statutory services, home helps visit nearly a quarter of those aged 75 and over living alone, on a weekly basis. In terms of at least one activity of daily living, shopping, those living alone exhibit a higher level of independence than those living with others, but nearly a quarter of those aged 75 and over living alone do rely on someone else entirely to do their shopping for them. The study identified a number of aspects of ill health in elderly people. There was a substantial proportion with urinary incontinence and, amongst those aged 75 and over living with others, a significant proportion with a degree of faecal incontinence. There was also a high proportion of people unable to cut their own toenails.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
在东安格利亚进行的一项研究确定了独居老年人生活的多个方面，其中一些情况在此报告。从20家全科医生诊所选取了2000名老年人作为样本进行访谈。总体而言，回应率为88%。在75岁及以上的人群中，43%的人独居，这一比例在城市地区、政府提供的住房、私人出租房和庇护性住房中以及女性中更高。独居老年人获得的非正式支持水平较高，不过也有大量老人没有定期的频繁访客。在法定服务方面，家政服务人员每周会探访近四分之一的75岁及以上独居老人。在至少一项日常生活活动（购物）方面，独居者比与他人同住者表现出更高的独立性，但75岁及以上独居老人中有近四分之一完全依赖他人为他们购物。该研究确定了老年人健康不佳的多个方面。有相当一部分人患有尿失禁，在75岁及以上与他人同住的人群中，有相当比例的人存在一定程度的大便失禁。还有很大一部分人无法自己剪脚趾甲。（摘要截选至250字）
