IS GROWING OLD A DISEASE - A STUDY OF THE ATTITUDES OF ELDERLY PEOPLE TO PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS

In a survey of people living at home, aged 77 years and over, a total of 126 women and 77 men were interviewed concerning their attitudes to their physical symptoms. For each organ system the subjects indicated whether their symptoms were considered to be a normal condition for elderly people or a manifestation of a disease. To a large extent symptoms were accepted as a normal condition, however, a highly significant difference in their attitudes to symptoms stemming from different systems was found (p < 0.001). Generally, compared with severe symptoms, milk symptoms were accepted more readily as a normal condition in old age. Although most of the elderly people had seen a doctor because of their symptoms, a highly significant difference was found in consultation rates among elderly persons with symptoms from different organ systems (p < 0.001). The attitudes to symptoms influenced the tendency of the subject to consult a doctor (p < 0.05). The need for education of elderly people and health professionals is discussed.