[The health situation of the non-institutionalized elderly urban population of Castro Uridiales and the differentiating characteristics of those attending the health center frequently].
OBJECTIVE
Main: to describe the health situation of the urban non-institutionalised population of 75 or over in Castro Urdiales. Secondary. To analyse the differences in the over-user group.


METHODS
Descriptive, crossover.


METHODS
Primary Care Health Centre.


METHODS
People in the urban area aged 75 or over and with the following inclusion criteria: not institutionalised, who had been at least 6 months in the town, and for whom there was data for locating them. Over-users: people in the upper third of attendance (9 or more consultations per year).


RESULTS
A "Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment" was performed, cognitive state (Pfeiffer) and social assessment. The over-user group functioned better, had a better cognitive state and consumed more medication.


CONCLUSIONS
The results coincided with other studies in most of the items analysed. It is important to be aware of the worse functional and cognitive condition of the group which attended the Health Centre least. Sub-groups of the elderly still need to be studied.
Martín Lesende
I
I
Centro de Salud de Castro Urdiales, Unidad Docente de Medicina Familiar, Comunitaria de Cantabria.
Salas Martínez
A M
AM
Fernández Fernández
N
N
Gómez García
M J
MJ
García Rodríguez
A
A
Esteban Pellón
J
J
Valle García
N
N
Arnaiz de las Revillas
J
J
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006296:Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D014505:Urban Population