Abstract
Background and aims: The average age of the population and the number of elderly people have increased with increasing life expectancy. This study aimed to investigate the physical and mental health of the elderly in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province, which can provide important evidence for future interventions.
Methods: This cross-sectional (descriptive-analytical) study was performed on 345 elderlies in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province in 2018. Census methods were used to select the samples according to the type of residence. Statistical analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (IBM SPSS statistic, Chicago, IL, USA, version 22). Descriptive and analytical tests were performed using Chi-square, independent t-test, and analysis of variance.
Results: The mean age of participants and the mean score of their mental health were 71.13 and 55.29±11.57, respectively. Diabetes and hypertension (HTN) (27.8%), followed by skeletal problems (11.3%), were the most frequent disorders in the participants. The findings of the study demonstrated a significant difference between depressive status, as well as anxiety and sleep disorders of the elderly in the home and those kept in the nursing home (P<0.05).
Conclusion: Overall, the elderly living in nursing homes had more unfavorable mental, emotional, and physical conditions than the elderly living in the home. Therefore, long-term planning to minimize the problems of elderlies is essential. Lifestyle modifications, health education, and screening for this age group are recommended to maintain independence, especially for the elderly in nursing homes.