Unmet health care needs in the aged in two rural South African communities

An evaluation of the unmet health care needs of all the aged people in two rural villages in the northern Transvaal was undertaken by assessing 7 indicators of health status to determine the prevalence of significant health problems and of receipt of health care for such problems. Oral health problems were found in 81% of the sample, visual problems in 62%, low peak expiratory flow in 48%, significant gastrointestinal symptoms in 38%, significant urinary symptoms in 32%, anaemia in 23%, and a lack of independence in 14%. There were 283 problems needing care, for which treatment had been received in the last year in only 30 instances (11%). The lack of care is attributed mainly to the inaccessibility of health services and the lack of health care resources in 'homeland' areas.