The Comparison of Comprehensive Geriatric Functions of Community-Dwelling Elderly People Living in Cotahuasi and Puyca Located in La Union Province, Arequipa, Peru

Abstract

More than 140 million people worldwide live in over 2500 meters highland above sea level. Of them, 80 million live in Asia, and 35 million live in the Andean mountains. This article described the comparison of the comprehensive geriatric functions of community-dwelling elderly people living in Cotahuasi and Puyca located in La Union Province, Arequipa, Peru. The study population consisted of 240 highlanders (mean age: 69.5, male/female: 85/155) living in Cotahuasi (altitude 2, 600-2, 700 m), Pampamarca (3, 000-3, 300 m), Puyca (3, 600 m), and Churca (3, 800 m). All of these towns are located in La Union Province, Arequipa, Peru. Cotahuasi is the capital of La Union Province, and Pampamarca is a rural suburb. Puyca and Churca are rural villages located at higher altitudes (>3, 500 m) along an upper tributary of the Cotahuasi River. The medical survey of community-dwelling elderly people living in these towns was carried out in August in 2010. The scores in ADL, TMIG, FRI, GDS and subjective QOL between Cotahuasi and Puyca were significant differences. The mean age of subjects in Cotahuasi was significantly higher than those in Puyca. The percentage of subjects with diabetes and taking diabetes medicine were significantly higher in Cotahuasi people than in Puyca ones. The percentage of history of stroke and oseoarthropathy were significantly higher in Cotahuasi than in Puyca. We should pay attention to the approximately 10% of the total population in the world were living in mountain areas where socioeconomic globalization was increasing. Further investigations must remit the prevalence of lifestyle-related disease and human ageing phenomena in highlanders.