Self-help hypertensive groups and the elderly in Yugoslavia

This study examines aging in Yugoslavia in the context of rapid demographic and social changes over the last several decades. Since this time, urbanization and the population aging of the society have begun to place a stress on the ability of the family and the formal health care system to deal with the needs of the elderly. Responses to this stress have included new types of residences for the elderly and various types of self-help groups dealing with a variety of health care needs. This paper focuses on the development and functioning of self-help groups to deal with the problem of hypertension among the elderly in the Republic of Croatia. Preliminary results indicate that such groups have been relatively successful in regulating blood pressure and slightly reducing mortality. However, the success of groups requires a long term commitment from public health institutions and a recognition of how such groups must be adapted to different social environments.