Læknablaðið : fylgirit - 01.03.1983, Side 200

on account of the fact that their eye problems had received better
attention. Least numberous were problems found in psychiatric
patients. The counting of active problems had little relevance to
the need for nursing care but this nevertheless gave a picture of
the multifactorial nature of the health problems in these patients.
3. The mean drug consumption per patient varied from 3.2 to 8.4
(average 5.3) between different hospitals. The percentage of
patients taking drugs in the following categories were: Cardiac
drugs 26%, diuretics 21%, analgesics and anti-inflammatory 23%,
laxatives 50%, hypotics 41%, tranquilizers 40%, other drugs 75%
and no drugs 1 % of patients.
4. The patients degree of self sufficiency was graded into six
groups; independent 7%, mostly independent 4%, full mobility but
requiring some assistance 26%, bed- or chairfast 22%, mobile but
in need of constant supervision 4%, bedfast and fully dependent 37%.
5. Full bladder control was achieved by 42% of patients, 14% had
occasional urinary incontinence and 44% had no control of bladder
function. Indwelling catheters were used in 19% patients and this
figure varied widly between hospitals. Fecal incontinence was a
regular feature in 27% and sporadic in further 6% of patients.
6. The mental state was assessed by the ward sister and by direct
questioning. A mental status questionare (MSQ) was also completed
for each patient. 40% of patients were assessed as being depressed
and 38% expressed features of anxiety. 41% patients were found to
be severly demented (MSQ score 0-4), moderately demented (MSQ 5-7),
12% and no gross dementia in 32%. The dementia score could not be
obtained in further 15% due to deafness, dysphasia or depression.
7. The need for geriatric hospital services was as follows for
further assessment 2%, slow rehabilitation 26%, continuing care
ward 40%, psychogeriatric service 23%, day hospital 5% and out-
patient clinic 4%.
The probability for the patients to become able to return to the
community were regarded as good for 20%, less favorable (within
a few months to a year) 38% and needing continuing hospital care
were 42% of patients.
8. The social assessment of all patients did not show significant
deviation from prevalent social norms for contemporaries, in the
Reykjavík area with regard to housing and ascess to friends and
relatives. It could therefore be concluded that the patients were
primarly in hospital for health reasons. Nevertheless prior to
returning to the community 19% would require domestic help, 7% a
sheltered accommodation, 3% would need transfer to an old peoples
home and 20% to a nursing home. In the social workers view, 51%
would need longterm hospital care.
Discussion
The hospital census revieled 114 elderly longstay patients in the
acute and general hospital wards in the Reykjavík area. It was
the opinion of their attending doctor that these patients had
already received full treatment within the scope of their hospital
wards and were ready for discharge. As the patients could not be
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