Prevalence and severity of physical complaints and their association with well-being among older adults in Tehran

TL;DR

This study finds that most older adults in Tehran experience common physical complaints like pain and fatigue, which are linked to lower well-being.

Contribution

The study provides new insights into the prevalence and severity of physical complaints among older adults and their impact on well-being in Tehran.

Findings

Limb pain, back pain, weakness, and fatigue were the most common complaints among older adults.

Older individuals (70+) reported more visual and hearing issues, while younger seniors (60–69) had higher distress over hair loss and wrinkles.

A strong negative correlation was found between the number of complaints and well-being scores.

Abstract

As people age, they experience not only physiological changes but also an increase in physical complaints. Although many of these complaints do not represent specific diseases, they cause significant suffering for older adults. This cross-sectional study aims to investigate the prevalence and severity of common physical complaints in older adults.

In this cross-sectional study conducted from June to December 2024, 606 older adults aged 60 and above were selected through stratified sampling to complete a questionnaire. The questionnaire collected information on demographic characteristics, primary physical complaints, and included the WHO-5 Well-being Index. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 21.

The mean age of the participants was 69.6 ± 7, and 321 (53%) were female. The most common complaints were limb pain (90%), back pain (84%), weakness (81%), and fatigue (81%). Individuals aged 70 and older reported significantly higher rates of visual issues (p < 0.001), hearing problems (p < 0.001), incontinence (p < 0.05), and increased daytime urinary frequency (p < 0.05). However, distress due to hair loss or graying, and distress due to skin wrinkles were higher in the 60–69 year age group (P < 0.05). A negative correlation was found between the number of self-reported complaints and well-being (r = -0.39, p < 0.001).

The result of the current study underscores the importance of addressing physical complaints in older adults. Physical complaints should be evaluated during routine assessments of older patients. There should be greater emphasis on screening, evaluating, improving, and alleviating these complaints.

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