title: Frequency and associated factors for care giving among elderly patients visiting a teaching hospital in Karachi, Pakistan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study frequency and associated factors for care giving among elderly patients visiting a teaching hospital in Karachi, Pakistan.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted at the Community Health Centre (CHC), Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) Karachi, Pakistan from September to November 2009. All individuals, visiting the CHC and aged 65 years or above were interviewed after taking written informed consent.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 400 elderly completed the interview. Majority were females, 65-69 years age, More than half of the individuals ie: 227 (85%) had received Care Giver experience for assistance and among these 195(72%) had care provided by an immediate family member. A large proportion of them stated that their Care Givers managed to provide less than four hours in a day for care giving. Around 37% showed substantial improvement in their relationship with the care givers. About 70% of the respondents stated that the care provided by the Care Giver improved their quality of life.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Elderly care is provided by majority of the family members resulting in increased satisfaction level, however small number still not satisfied due to unfulfilled need of these older people. This demands that efforts should be made to strengthen the family support by increasing awareness regarding elderly care and arranging support system by the government.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Waris
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Qidwai
authors.forename: Mohammad Uzair
authors.initials: MU
authors.lastname: Abdul Rauf
authors.forename: Seema
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sakina
authors.forename: Ayesha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hamid
authors.forename: Sidra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ishaque
authors.forename: Tabinda
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ashfaq
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010154:Pakistan; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
references.citation: Health Aff (Millwood). 1999 Mar-Apr;18(2):182-8
references.pmid: 10091447
references.citation: Gerontologist. 1981 Oct;21(5):471-80
references.pmid: 7338304
references.citation: Nurs Res. 2004 Mar-Apr;53(2):76-86
references.pmid: 15084992
references.citation: BMC Health Serv Res. 2009 Nov 13;9:205
references.pmid: 19912619
references.citation: J Formos Med Assoc. 2004 Jul;103(7):533-9
references.pmid: 15318275
references.citation: Arch Gerontol Geriatr. 2005 Jul-Aug;41(1):81-94
references.pmid: 15911041
references.citation: J Pak Med Assoc. 2006 Oct;56(10):470-4
references.pmid: 17144398
references.citation: J Pak Med Assoc. 2007 Feb;57(2):106-10
references.pmid: 17370799
references.citation: J Med Invest. 2010 Feb;57(1-2):69-80
references.pmid: 20299745
references.citation: CMAJ. 1997 Oct 15;157(8):1101-5
references.pmid: 9347781
references.citation: Aging Ment Health. 2009 Jul;13(4):619-27
references.pmid: 19629788
references.citation: Int J Aging Hum Dev. 2000;51(4):295-313
references.pmid: 11246650