Le condizioni di salute dei "grandi anziani" nella USSL Torino I. Studio epidemiologico nel territorio della USSL I di Torino.

The aims of the study were: a. to describe the socioeconomic conditions of a randomized sample of over 75 years elderly of Torino USL; b. to evaluate the impact on doctors of a better knowledge of patients and c. to evaluate the feasibility and the results of a collaborative teamwork with doctors, nurses and social workers. Social workers or nurses evaluated the functional abilities of the elderly with the ADL and IADL scales, the cognitive function with the Mini Mental State and depressive symptoms with the Care Scale. 40 General Practitioners were randomized in two groups and each randomly selected 5 men and 5 women over 75 years, among their patients. Half of the doctors (experimental group) were offered a WHO textbook on drug prescription for the elderly and three monthly meetings with nurses and social workers, to globally evaluate the patients situation and define necessary interventions. 340 patients were recruited for the study (mean age 81 years). No differences were observed in the outcomes of the experimental and control group. An overall improvement of diagnostic skills and reduction of drug prescription was observed in both groups, but the impact of the latter was larger in the experimental group.