Community Medicine Abstracts - College of Medicine and Health ...

Project No. 113 (1997)Assessment of Health Status of Middle Aged Elderly Subjects in Al-Ain (AComparison Between Rural and Urban)Student Authors: Hanan N. Al-ShamsiFaculty Supervisors: Dr. M.M. HossainAbstract:Objectives To examine and compare functional health status (i.e. physical and mentalhealth) between urban and rural middle aged and elderly UAE nationals in Al AinDistrict.Methods A self-administered questionnaire on mental and physical health includingLife Satisfaction Index (LSI) and scale of Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression (SAD)was administered to 319 urban and 86 rural subjects aged 45 years and over living inAl Ain district.Results No differences in health status existed between rural and urban middle-agedand elderly subjects. The relationships between prevalence of disability and both ageand gender were not statistically significant among subjects of both groups. Data onprevalence of health problems was sought out to explore the relationships betweenhealth and mental health determined by anxiety and depression and life satisfaction.Prevalence of chronic health problems was correlated significantly with SAD scoresamong rural (r=0.26, p=0.01) and urban (r=0.28, p=0.000) subjects and LSI scoresamong rural (r=-0.37, p=0.001) and urban (r=-0.14, p=0.009) subjects.Conclusion These findings emphasize the importance of aspects of physical health asdeterminants of psychological well-being among middle-aged and elderly in bothgroups. Information regarding health status in the UAE is scarce. Specific studies onthis subject are needed to anticipate the future health needs in the country.