Pattern of Morbidity Among Elderly Patients Attending the General Outpatient Clinic of Afe Babalola University Multisystem Hospital, Ado Ekiti
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64052/bcyrra02Keywords:
Elderly, morbidity pattern, cardiovascular disease, outpatient clinic, Nigeria, retrospective study, non-communicable diseasesAbstract
Background: With the global increase in life expectancy, Nigeria is experiencing a growing elderly population facing a double burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases. Understanding the morbidity pattern among this demographic is essential for developing age-appropriate healthcare services. To determine the pattern of morbidity among elderly patients attending the General Outpatient Clinic (GOPC) of Afe Babalola University Multisystem Hospital (AMSH), Ado Ekiti, Nigeria.
Methods: This was a retrospective descriptive study of elderly patients aged 60 years and above who attended the GOPC at AMSH between January and December 2024. Data were extracted from hospital medical records, including age, sex, and clinical diagnoses. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data, and chi-square tests were applied to examine associations between categorical variables using SPSS version 27. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.
Results: Atotal of 730 elderly patients were included, with a mean age of 75.3 ± 8.0 years. Males constituted 53.3% and females 46.7% of the population. The most prevalent conditions were cardiovascular diseases (206; 28.2%) and neurological disorders (197; 27.0%). Other notable morbidities included musculoskeletal diseases (97; 13.3%), endocrine diseases (70; 9.6%), and malaria (70; 10.7%). Only 78 patients (10.7%) visited for routine medical check-ups. Cardiovascular disease was significantly more prevalent among females than males (35.2% vs. 22.1%, p < 0.001). Routine check-up attendance declined with increasing age but was not statistically significant.
Conclusion: Cardiovascular and neurological conditions are the predominant morbidities among elderly patients attending the GOPC of AMSH. There is a critical need for age-sensitive outpatient services, preventive health education, and policy initiatives to support geriatric healthcare in Nigeria.
