Geriatric Injuries and Their Association with Functional and Cognitive Status among Patients Attending a Primary Health Care Facility in an Urban Area of Delhi.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND: Injury is a leading contributor to morbidity in later life. Age-related physiological change — reduced muscle mass, slower reflexes, diminished sensory acuity — combined with a rising burden of comorbidity, leaves older adults disproportionately vulnerable to injury. Whether the type of injury sustained relates to a person's day-to-day functional independence or cognitive performance is not well established in Indian primary care settings, where this evidence could help shape how geriatric services are organised. OBJECTIVE: To assess the association between the nature of injuries and functional as well as cognitive status among elderly patients. METHODS: A one-year community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among elderly patients attending the Urban Health Centre, Gokalpuri, New Delhi. Following ethics approval, 150 participants were enrolled using universal sampling. Data were collected via face-to-face interviews with a pre-tested, semi-structured questionnaire. Functional and cognitive status were assessed using Activities of Daily Living (ADL), Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL), and Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE). Data were analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. RESULTS: Mean ADL, IADL, and MMSE scores were comparable across different categories of injuries, and no statistically significant association was observed between the nature of injury and functional or cognitive status (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Injury type alone did not explain variation in functional or cognitive status in this cohort, pointing instead to intrinsic factors — ageing, comorbidity, and frailty — as the more likely drivers of functional outcomes. Functional and cognitive screening should be built into routine primary care contact for elderly patients presenting with injury.
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