為瞭解本院支援醫療作業之榮民安養之家住民之健康狀況，是以從事本調查，本探討之目的有：1. 明白該社區內活動住民之健康習慣如何；2. 其身體健康情況何； 3. 其智能心理健康狀況如何。 自 83 年 3 月至 9 月間， 對南部某榮家內登記之所有住家榮民942 人施行調查，去除日常生活無法有自行活動及配合調查之對象如癱瘓、聾啞及大陸定居等， 共收集 713 個有效個案，調查其基本資料、健康習慣、身體狀況、及智能心理健康評估等。結果顯示本調查之人口特徵為：平均年齡 72.9 ± 4.3(60.0-93.0) 歲，單身男性為主，平均受教育年限 3.9 ± 3.8(0-16.0)，只有 2% 的人有子女照顧，48 ％的人在榮家裡沒有要好的朋友。 61 ％的人抽煙且大部份人煙量在一天一包左右，其煙齡大多超過 30 年以上，半數以上人每天運動時間不到一個小時。 73 ％人最佳視力不超過 0.1( 閱讀書報有困難 )，72.7 ％人有聽力障礙， 54 ％人無法咬食硬食，73 ％人現在因為生病正在接受藥物治療中，18.4 ％人關節疼痛而影響其日常起居活動，18 ％人三個月內曾經頭暈，3 ％的人三個月內曾經跌倒； 26.5 ％人身體平衡有若干困難，70 ％人步態有或多或少的問題，10.8 ％的人日常活動量表顯示若干程度的依賴，18.6 ％的人工具性活動量表有部份依賴；60.9 ％人口血壓大於 140/90 毫米汞柱，15.1 ％人口懷疑有糖尿病； 44.3 ％人懷疑有失智症；35 ％人有憂鬱傾向。

　　　　　The health habits and general needs formedical services of residents at a veterans' home in South Taiwan wereinvestigated. The purposes of this study were to explore the health habits ofthe residents of the veteran's home, their general physical health, and theirmental- psychological health status. During the 6 month period from March 1994to September 1994, We investigated all the 942 residents of the veterans' home.Those who were bed-ridden, deaf or mute, or travelling in Mainland China, wereexcluded from the study, due to poor adherence. The final study group consistedof 713 individuals. The mean age of residents age was 72.9 ± 4.3 years old(range, 60-93), all were male, and most of them living alone. Their meaneducational level was 3.9 ± 3.8 (0-16) years. Only 2% had descendants to takecare of them. Forty- eight percent of them had no close friends in thecommunity. Sixty-one percent smoked, with an average consumption of one pack perday, and most had a smoking history of more than 30 years. More than half ofthem exercised less than one hour a day. Seventy-three percent had their bestvisual acuity not better than 0.1, making reading difficult. Most (72%) hadsomewhat impaired hearing. Fifty-four perceat could not bite hard foods, Most(73%) were on drugs because of illness of the time the study was conducted. Some(18.4%) had joint troubles that disturbed their daily activities. Eighteenpercent had experienced dizziness or vertigo during the past 3 months, and 3%had experienced falls during the same period; About one-quarter (26.5%) had someproblems with balance, and 70% had gait problems. Ten point eight percentrevealed some dependence in ADL, and eighteen point six percent needed help inIADL. Sixty point nine percent had blood pressure higher than 140/90 mmHg and15.1% were suspected of having diabetes mellitus. Forty-four point three percentwere suspected of having dementia according to the Chinese version of the MMSE,and 35% were suspected of having depressive tendency by the Yersavage GeriatricDepression Scale.