Objectives: The present study aimed at studying the health status of the elderly supported by Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation in Birjand in 2007.

Methods & Materials: This descriptive analytical study was done on 250 elderly people who were supported by Imam Khomeini committee in Birjand. For data collection the comprehensive health questionnaire of the elderly was used. The questionnaire was filled out through interviewing with the subjects and their weight, blood pressure, and height were measured under standard condition. The obtained data was analyzed by SPSS software and using chi-square test at the significant level P<0.05.

Results: This study was conducted on 250 elderly people whose mean age was 71±8.7 years. The subjects included 119 (47.6%) females and 131(52.4%) males. About 88.8% of the subjects were illiterate, 41.6% of them had problems in housing, 11.2% and 93.2% also had insurance and financial problems, respectively. Also 10.4% of the old people had a history of diabetes and 39.6% were hypertensive, 68% had vision problems and 10.8% was suffering urologic complications. As far as depression is concerned, 68.4% had mild depression and 3.2% had severed depression. Regarding cognitive problems, 24.4% ranged between mild to severe. Moreover, 24% of the subjects suffered malnutrition and 67.6% were at risk of it. Hypertension was more prevalent in males than in females (P=0.07) more in urban than in rural areas (P=0.04). There was a significant difference in the prevalence of depression in women compared with men (P<0.001) the prevalence was also more in the inhabitants of the urban areas in comparison with rural areas inhabitants (P=0.02). A significant difference was found between males and females in terms of daily activities.

Conclusion: Regarding high prevalence of hypertension, hearing and vision problems- which are the underlying causes of other physical and mental problems of the elderly - it is necessary for health-care authorities, supporting committee (Imam Khomeini supporting committee), and other favoring organs to take more account of living and financial problems of the erderly.