PREVALENCE OF ANAEMIA IN GERIATRIC POPULATION-A ONE YEAR HOSPITAL BASED STUDY.

Abstract

PREVALENCE OF ANAEMIA IN GERIATRIC POPULATION-A ONE YEAR HOSPITAL BASED STUDY Background & Objectives: Anemia is a condition with decrease in the red blood cell population or hemoglobin levels less than the lower limit for that particular age and sex. It is a common problem in all age groups, more commonly in children and childbearing age women. Less literature is present about anemia in the elderly population. The definition as per the United Nations defines an ‘elderly’ person as someone who is equal to 60 years or above 60. Census report of 2011 denotes the elderly population to be 8.1 % in India and the expected rise in population of the elderly is estimated to be 19% in the year 2050, which is of great worry. The objective of this study was to study the prevalence of anaemia in geriatric population and to study the morphological types of anaemia in geriatric age group.