[Nursing care dependence in the hospital. A descriptive study].

The findings indicate no clinical relevant difference relating to care dependency between men and women in any age group. The extent of care dependency grows with the patients' age in both genders. A crucial increase of care dependency is found after the age of 80. Because the variance of means on the care dependency scales increases with age generalizations of the results are restricted. Patients with cardiovascular diseases and patients with injuries and poisoning are more dependent on care than patients with other medical diagnoses. Patients with muscle-skeletal illnesses show the least degree of care dependency. The findings according to medical disciplines reveal patients who are in intensive care as the group most dependent on care with geriatric and neurological patients following. There is no difference of care dependency means between patients who were operated and patients who had not undergone an operation.