This study, a household survey, aimed to compare the health conditions of elderly people with diabetes mellitus according to gender and age variables. Study participants were 417 elderly people, interviewed in their homes from December, 2005 to February, 2006. The data was analyzed through simple frequency and chi-squared tests (p < 0.05). The majority were from 60 to 70 years old (50.1%), women (71.2%), and used medication (96.1%). Major health problems were shown to be hypertension (75.5%), vision problems (73.6%), and spinal cord (56.4%). Women considered self-perceptions of health bad or very bad and referred to costs as a problem for acquiring medicines, when compared to men. This difference proved to be statistically significant. With increasing age groups, higher proportions of elderly people were found to use devices, have spinal cord problems, and use diuretics.
Diabetes mellitus; Aged; Health status; Geriatric nursing; Aging
