[Regional diversity in the situation of the elderly in rural areas].
The situation of the elderly in Poland differs, sometimes quite significantly, among regions and smaller areas of the country. It concerns particularly rural areas. The study, initiated by the Polish Society of Gerontology in the years 1999-2001 in six chosen rural areas, allowed the evaluation of these differences. The percentage of people over 65 in rural areas in Poland is, on the average, 13.2%, while in the studied rural areas it reaches from 9.3% in Chmielno (region Kaszuby) to 27.4% in Narew (region Podlasie). The percentage of the elderly with incomplete primary education amounted from 11% in Chmielno (region Kaszuby) to 80% in Puńsk (region Podlasie). In Polish villages 59.9% of the people over 65 evaluate their health as bad or very bad; in the studied areas this evaluation was given by 36% of the respondents in Krapkowice (region Slask Opolski) to 58% in Lewin in the same region and in three studied areas in the those unsatisfied with their material situation ranged from 24% in Dziadkowice and Narew (region Podlasie) to 44% in Chmielno (region Kaszuby). In Poland 11.4% of the elderly express their lack of life satisfaction and life achievement. In the studied areas the percentage of the unsatisfied ranged from a few percent (Chmielno) to over 20% (Puńsk). Such diversity can be explained through both emotional and economic, as well as psychological or ethnic factors, and social traditions. The presented study indicates that planning of resources to satisfy the health, economic and social needs of the elderly cannot be based exclusively on general statistical indices for whole Poland, but should also take into consideration local demographic and economic conditions as well as specific ethnic, environmental and tradition based factors.
Zakład Gerontologii Klinicznej i Społecznej Akademia Medyczna w Białymstoku.
Wojciech
W
Pedich
D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000458:organization & administration; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D011788:Quality of Life; D012423:Rural Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*