|
|
|
|
||
|
||
|
|
||
| SEARCH | SUBSCRIBE | ||
|
 |
Survey:
Nearly one-third of elderly in state, bay area in poor or fair shape
The first
wide-ranging survey of the health of Nearly 30 percent
of seniors in the Bay Area and around the state report being in poor or
only fair health, compared with 26 percent of seniors nationwide,
according to the study conducted by researchers at the University of
California-Los Angeles. About 46 percent of seniors who speak little
English and 45 percent of Latinos reported similarly diminished health --
in part because they report lower rates of preventive care such as flu
shots, dental work and colon cancer screenings. The study, which
involved detailed interviews of about 10,000 people over age 65, provides
a rare health snapshot that is likely to spur statewide debate about how
best to improve care for the state's seniors. ``It's tremendous
data,'' said Dr. Sandra Moody-Ayers, a geriatric-medicine specialist at
the University of California-San Francisco and director of palliative care
at the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center. ``Now we need to
focus on what's driving these differences in order for us to understand
what interventions we need.'' Among the study's
findings: • About
45 percent of older Latinos do not receive flu shots, compared with a
third of all • About
45 percent of seniors who are poor, speak limited English or are
African-American report receiving no dental care in the past year,
compared with a third of all • About
two in five • While
78 percent of white seniors reported having supplemental health insurance,
only 37 percent of those speaking limited English had such insurance.
While seniors over 65 receive Medicare, supplemental insurance can help
pay for prescription drugs and other items that Medicare does not cover. Researchers also
noted that seniors in rural counties, particularly The findings on
seniors were drawn from the 2001 California Health Interview Survey, a
UCLA project. That survey, the
largest ever conducted in any state, covers a wide array of public health
topics. Researchers contacted 55,248 randomly selected households and
conducted health interviews in six languages from November 2000 to
September 2001. The 10,000 seniors in the group were asked about heart
disease, diabetes, asthma, smoking and drinking, cancer screening, high
blood pressure, and their use of prescription drugs among other topics. ``While California
seniors are working hard to remain healthy, large numbers aren't getting
the preventive services they need to stay that way,'' said Dr. Steven
Wallace, the lead author of the study and associate director of the UCLA
Center for Health Policy Research. Jessie Swain, a
92-year-old great-grandmother from ``I take care of
myself,'' she said, demonstrating the sit-ups and arm exercises she does
in bed to improve her circulation. ``I feel strong, like I can do a lot of
things. I don't feel sick.'' Not all seniors
are as fortunate. Dr. Marty
Fenstersheib, public health officer for Some seniors lack
family or community support that compromises their health care,
Fenstersheib said. ``We don't value elders as we should,'' Fenstersheib
said. ``That can lead to isolation.'' Lead author
Wallace said he hopes the study will help health officials target
resources to where they're most needed. ``We're facing a disastrous state budget situation,'' Wallace said. ``We need to prioritize our dollars even more than in the past.'' Copyright
© 2002 Global Action on Aging |
