Research On Mental Health Status And It's Determinants Among The Elderly In Baotou City

Background: The psychology study of elderly population is a high priority research task that must be emphasized for an elderly or to-be elderly society. Because the model of the medical practices have been changed, which leads to recognize the importance of other sectors such as society, psychology, life style and behavior model etc. The clinical and health care practices also moved from the pure biology index into an integrated evaluation of psychology and social functions. China already entered an ageing society. Elderly people have changed their spirit, physical activity, and social involvement. It means their needs of health care become special and it presents a big challenge to our existing health care system. According to the features of current Chinese elderly population, recognizing the importance of the elder's psychology health, identifying the specialties and common issues, proving services of psychology health care become crucial. BAOTOU is an important industrial city in the minority territory of China. It already started the aged society. Elderly people in rural and pasturing area are special groups. They have very special working style, life style and environment. Up to date, this is a blank area in the study of the elder psychological and mental health, in particular about the pasturing area. Based on the literature and research results in China and International, SCL-90 can reflect patience's severity level of the mental health, and also test the healthy people's mentality status. It shows certain level of the accuracy. So I recommend that we should use this scale (SCL-90) to conduct a broad range survey in all districts in BAOTOU city, through it to estimate the status of the elderly people in BAOTOU.Objective: Through the investigation, evaluation and research of the psychological conditions of the elderly in Baotou city, rural and pastoral areas, at the same time, comparing the psychological differences of the elderly among the three regions, and conducting a deep analysis of their possible influential factors, we are able to provide the fundamental data for the Elderly Services of Baotou city, in order to advance the development of geriatric medicine and facilitate Baotou entering into a healthy aging society.Method: We deployed symptoms self-assessment scale (SCL-90) to investigate and study 2527 psychological conditions of the elderly in Baotou, using statistical analysis software package SPSS 11.5 to deal with the data. We did the general description for a variety of variables for this study samples, and used the mono-factor analysis and the multiplicity analysis, including chi-square test, U test, analysis of variance, correlation and multiple linear regression analysis.Results: 1. The weighted scores of each psychological factor of the elderly SCL-90 scale in Baotou were 1.33±0.22, the average number of positive were 20.80±15.43, and the average number of Negative were 69.20±17.32, and each psychological factor scores were between 1.1 and 1.5, calculated as plus and minus 1.96 standard deviation ,the results were below the moderate (3), and all the scores were no more than " the Chinese normal SCL-90 rating". 2. The multiplicity analysis showed that the influential factors of somatization were the gender, the income, the years of worked and the occupation; The influential factors of compel psychological were the nation, the gender, the region, the years of the retirement, the age and the occupation; The influential factors of the relationship sensitive psychological were the gender, the culture degree, the nation, the years of the retirement, the blood type, the years of worked and the age; The influential factors of the depression psychological were the gender, the age, the marital status and the region; The influential factors of the anxious psychological were the gender, the nation, the region and the income; The influential factors of the antagonistic psychological were the state of the habitation, the age, the culture degree and the region; The influential factors of the fear psychological were the gender, the nation and the region; The influential factors of the psychosis psychological was the region; The influential factors of meat and drink were the nation, the region and the gender; The influential factors of the weighted scores of each factor were the nation, the region and the culture degree.Conclusion and Suggestions: The elderly people in BAOTOU have relatively better condition regarding mental health. However, health care and social services should emphasis on the people who are aged, low education, low income, no spouse, and the chronic patients. Particularly the specialty and difficulties of female elderly and those live in the country should be taken into consideration, when developing the elder population health care policy and social services policy. Healthy and longevity are a timeless theme in human life and civilization process. Healthy life includes physical capacity and mental capacity. Psychology is a fundamental of the physical health. Psychology helps preventing all the kinds of chronic and comfortlessness that caused by internal secretion changing and the apparatus's functions declining. Aim at the elderly people's psychology issues, we should develop community-based health care system and services, providing timely mental health consultation, promoting the consciousness and awareness of the elderly health, guiding to build positive attitude toward disease and sickness, maintaining the balance of the physical and mental status. As a result, it will facilitate to develop a harmonious and healthy elderly society.