Differences Between Primary Care Needs of Older Adults and General Population

Adults

All population need effective primary care in order to live a healthy and fulfilling life.
Different population groups have different primary care needs. For primary health services to
be effective, there is need to recognize and address the unique needs of each population
group. This paper examines the different primary care needs between older adults and general
population adults.

One of the major differences between older adults and general population adults is
higher prevalence of multiple chronic conditions (MCC) among older adults (McGilton et al.,
2018). MCC is the existence of two or more chronic medical conditions that may have a
negative impact on the daily living of a person (McGilton et al., 2018). For instance, chances
of an older adult having diabetes, high blood pressure, and Alzheimer at the same time are
higher than in general population of adults. Thus, when treating and older adult, care should
be taken to ensure that treatment of one chronic condition does not worsen another chronic
condition. Ideally, given the presence of multiple chronic conditions, there is higher need for
coordination among multiple providers when caring for older adults than in general
population adults. The greater prevalence of MCCs among older adults also means that they
consumer primary care services more heavily the general population of adults (Polic-Vizintin
et al., 2020).

Apart from higher prevalence of multiple chronic conditions, factors that are related
to other determinants of health such as social determinants of health also play a bigger role
among older adults than general population adults (Elliott et al., 2018). Thus, their care often
involves greater intertwining of professional health services with other services, such as

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social services, than it is the case with general population adults. For instance, many older
adults suffer from isolation and loneliness. Isolation and loneliness have been associated with
depression, worsening of sleep, deterioration of cognition, and increase in high blood
pressure (Elliott et al., 2018). Thus, primary care for older adults should not only address
physical health problems of the individual but also liaise with social services and similar
agencies to address problems such as loneliness that may worsen the physical health of the
individual.

In general, the main differences between primary healthcare needs of older adults and
general population adults are higher prevalence of multiple chronic conditions and a bigger
influence of social determinants of health among older adults. Understanding these unique
needs of older adults is key to providing them with primary care services that are effective
and help them live a healthier life.

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References

Elliott, J., Stolee, P., Boscart, V., Giangregorio, L., & Heckman, G. (2018). Coordinating care
for older adults in primary care settings: understanding the current context. BMC
family practice, 19(1), 137. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-018-0821-7

McGilton, K. S., Vellani, S., Yeung, L., Chishtie, J., Commisso, E., Ploeg, J., & Chow, A. F.
(2018). Identifying and understanding the health and social care needs of older adults
with multiple chronic conditions and their caregivers: a scoping review. BMC
geriatrics, 18(1), 231.

Polic-Vizintin, M., Marić Bajs, M., Portolan Pajić, I., Tucak, J., & Šostar, Z. (2020). Health
needs assessment for elderly in primary health care in Zagreb. European Journal of
Public Health, 30(Supplement_5), ckaa166-272.