In the present study, we undertook the annual investigation on health conditions of aged bedridden patients at home from 1971 to 1979 in Hiromi Cho, Ehime Prefecture.
The incidence rate of bedridden patients in 1971 was 3.7 % in the population of 65 years old and over, and 0.499 % in the population of Hiromi Cho. Paticularly, the latter rate was very higher than that in urban areas. The bedridden patients had been caused by apoplexy, senility, loss of eyesight, fracture and rheumatoid arthritis. 66.7 % of bed rest were caused by apoplexy. The bedridden age was 70.1±7.1 years in men, 71.2±11.6 years in women. The bedridden age in rheumatoid arthritis women was 41.0±1.0 years. The activity of dayly life in the bedridden patients lowered with the period of bed rest, and was dependent on the original diseases of bedridden. Their mortality rate was about 50 % after 2 years and about 90 % after 8 years. Their relatives mainly cared the bedridden patients. The bedridden patients were not cared in full, because 70 % in their sick nurses had their jobs.
We think that the best plan to bedridden patients is to prevent the diseases causing prolonged bed rest.
