[Incidence and prevalence of health problems in a group of nursing home patients with dementia. A comparison with family practice].

The objective of this study was to describe the health problems of a group dementia patients on admission and during residence in a Dutch nursing home and to compare these with figures of patients of 75 years and over from general practice. In 890 nursing home patients suffering from dementia prevalence of health problems on admission and the incidence during the residence were classified by means of the ICHPPC-2-defined. The differences between men and women were studied as was the influence of the season on the incidence during the stay. Results were compared with figures of patients of seventy five year and over from the continuous morbidity registration (CMR) from 'Nijmegen'. The most frequently occurring health problems on admission were: varicose veins of legs, acquired deformation of the spine, presbyacusis, hypertension, arthrosis, COPD, cerebrovascular disorders, heart murmur, cataract and chronic ischemic heart disease. During the residence the following health problems were frequently diagnosed: urinary tract infection, side effect of medicine, constipation, pneumonia, pressure sore, feeding problem, contusion, heart failure, cold and conjunctivitis. There were clear differences between men and women. Especially the incidence of intercurrent diseases showed great differences from the patterns in general practice. Prevalence of health problems on admission to the nursing home home agreed mor with figures from general practice. Respiratory tract infections frequently occurred in winter and urinary tract infections, pressure sores and conjunctivitis seemed to occur more in the summer. Nursing home patients with dementia have a lot of chronic and intercurrent health problems. They differ clearly from patients in general practice.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)