[The handicaps and the need for services among the aged detected in the health survey OARS-Vigo].

Background: In populational studies the standardized questionnaires of multidimensional functional evaluation, particularly the Older Americans Resources and Services Program-Multidimensional Functional Assessment Questionnaire (OARS), have shown to be the most adequate tools to evaluate the elderly persons living within the community.

Methods: A health care survey was performed by personal interview in the homes of a stratified randomized sample of people over the age of 65 years in Vigo, Galicia, Spain obtained from the Municipal Inhabitants Patronage (n = 841) using complete validated versions of OARS in the Spanish and Gallician languages.

Results: The prevalence of severe/absolute handicap in the basic functional areas among this population over 65 years was 7.7% in physical health, 6.2% in mental health, 5.2% in economic resources, 6.7% in social work, and 9.5% in daily life activities (DLA). Twenty-two percent of the population presented severe/absolute handicaps in at least one of the dimensions. One point nine percent of the population studied required institutionalization: 2.6% required economic aid, 1.4% required home help for the instrumental DLA and 1.1% required help for both the basic and the instrumental DLA although these were not being provided. One point three percent were found to be ideal candidates for a telealarm/teleaid program.

Conclusions: The use of the OARS questionnaire in Spain is useful to obtain information to be applied in the planning of health care services directed at elderly people.