Abstract
Population aging is a universal, global issue with each country facing its own challenges to ensure the health of its older persons. We examined information gathered from 363 participants residing in nine societies (Japan, Saudi Arabia, China, Thailand, Botswana, Tunisia, U.S., South Africa, and Italy) about issues related to their self-reported aging experience. Using face-to-face interview and survey methods, information from older adults suggests evidence for both cultural similarity and diversity for these aging older adults. There is uniformity within the countries we studied in older adults’ dislike of health changes and the experiencing financial concerns. Data collected also provides support for noticeable elements of diversity with regard to aging in each country and that divergent paths in aging exist. Findings point to recognition for cultural humility, recognizing the lack of knowledge for specific aging practices within individual societies, and a push toward cultural competence where more data is required to understand the true experiences within a group.
Highlights
The world population is aging as reported by multiple researchers [1,2,3,4,5] using multiple sources (e.g., Population Reference Bureau; World Health Organization)
Study procedures were approved by an institutional review board (IRB) prior to data collection and interviewees went through the informed consent process
A larger number of males served as respondents for the Japan and Tunisia sort, while a much smaller number of male participants were obtained for South African
Summary
The world population is aging as reported by multiple researchers [1,2,3,4,5] using multiple sources (e.g., Population Reference Bureau; World Health Organization). This demographic trend is predicted to continue expanding the older age-cohorts globally [5,6]. One of the acknowledged research priorities was the need for additional examination into “quality of life and aging in diverse cultural, socio-economic and environmental situations” [7]. Crossnational investigations have become a central focus as scholars and practitioners give effort toward increasing knowledge about the aging experience
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