Assessing health and well-being among older people in rural South Africa

F Xavier Gómez-Olivé,Margaret Thorogood,Benjamin D Clark,Kathleen Kahn,Stephen M Tollman

doi:10.3402/gha.v3i0.2126

Abstract

Background: The population in developing countries is ageing, which is likely to increase the burden of non-communicable diseases and disability.Objective: To describe factors associated with self-reported health, disability and quality of life (QoL) of older people in the rural northeast of South Africa.Design: Cross-sectional survey of 6,206 individuals aged 50 and over. We used multivariate analysis to examine relationships between demographic variables and measures of self-reported health (Health Status), functional ability (WHODASi) and quality of life (WHOQoL).Results: About 4,085 of 6,206 people eligible (65.8%) completed the interview. Women (Odds Ratio (OR)=1.30, 95% CI 1.09, 1.55), older age (OR=2.59, 95% CI 1.97, 3.40), lower education (OR=1.62, 95% CI 1.31, 2.00), single status (OR=1.18, 95% CI 1.01, 1.37) and not working at present (OR=1.29, 95% CI 1.06, 1.59) were associated with a low health status. Women were also more likely to report a higher level of disability (OR=1.38, 95% CI 1.14, 1.66), as were older people (OR=2.92, 95% CI 2.25, 3.78), those with no education (OR=1.57, 95% CI 1.26, 1.97), with single status (OR=1.25, 95% CI 1.06, 1.46) and not working at present (OR=1.33, 95% CI 1.06, 1.66). Older age (OR=1.35, 95% CI 1.06, 1.74), no education (OR=1.39, 95% CI 1.11, 1.73), single status (OR=1.28, 95% CI 1.10, 1.49), a low household asset score (OR=1.52, 95% CI 1.19, 1.94) and not working at present (OR=1.32; 95% CI 1.07, 1.64) were all associated with lower quality of life.Conclusions: This study presents the first population-based data from South Africa on health status, functional ability and quality of life among older people. Health and social services will need to be restructured to provide effective care for older people living in rural South Africa with impaired functionality and other health problems.Access the supplementary material to this article: INDEPTH WHO-SAGE questionnaire (including variants of vignettes), a data dictionary and a password-protected dataset (see Supplementary files under Reading Tools online). To obtain a password for the dataset, please send a request with ‘SAGE data’ as its subject, detailing how you propose to use the data, to global.health@epiph.umu.se

Highlights

The population in developing countries is ageing, which is likely to increase the burden of noncommunicable diseases and disability
We describe the findings of a population survey of people aged 50 and over which included information on their self-reported health, levels of disability and overall quality of life (QoL), which is the first time that such findings have been reported
Variables We considered factors that could be associated with levels of QoL and disability in our population including: age, education, marital status, household assets, nationality, employment status and household conditions

Summary

Introduction

The population in developing countries is ageing, which is likely to increase the burden of noncommunicable diseases and disability. Objective: To describe factors associated with self-reported health, disability and quality of life (QoL) of older people in the rural northeast of South Africa. Women (Odds Ratio (OR) 0 1.30, 95% CI 1.09, 1.55), older age (OR 02.59, 95% CI 1.97, 3.40), lower education (OR 01.62, 95% CI 1.31, 2.00), single status (OR01.18, 95% CI 1.01, 1.37) and not working at present (OR 01.29, 95% CI 1.06, 1.59) were associated with a low health status. Older age (OR 01.35, 95% CI 1.06, 1.74), no education (OR 01.39, 95% CI 1.11, 1.73), single status (OR 01.28, 95% CI 1.10, 1.49), a low household asset score (OR 01.52, 95% CI 1.19, 1.94) and not working at present (OR 01.32; 95% CI 1.07, 1.64) were all associated with lower quality of life. Health and social services will need to be restructured to provide effective care for older people living in rural South Africa with impaired functionality and other health problems

Objectives

Methods

Results