Abstract
BackgroundDifficulties in performing the activities of daily living (ADL) are common among middle-aged and older adults. Inability to perform the basic tasks as well as increased healthcare expenditure and dependence on care can have debilitating effects on health and quality of life. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between self-reported difficulty in activities of daily living (ADL), health and quality of life among community-dwelling, older population in South Africa and Uganda.MethodsWe analyzed cross-sectional data on 1495 men and women from South Africa (n = 514) and Uganda (n = 981) which were extracted from the SAGE Well-Being of Older People Study (WOPS 2011–13). Outcome variables were self-reported health and quality of life (QoL). Difficulty in ADL was assessed by self-reported answers on 12 different questions covering various physical and cognitive aspects. The association between self-reported health and quality of life with ADL difficulties was calculated by using multivariable logistic regression models.ResultsOverall percentage of good health and good quality of life was 40.4% and 20%, respectively. The percentage of respondents who had 1–3, 3–6, > 6 ADL difficulties were 42.4%7, 30.97% and 14.85%, respectively. In South Africa, having > 6 ADL difficulties was associated with lower odds of good health among men [Odds ratio = 0.331, 95%CI = 0.245,0.448] and quality of life among men [Odds ratio = 0.609, 95%CI = 0.424,0.874] and women [Odds ratio = 0.129, 95%CI = 0.0697,0.240]. In Uganda, having > 6 ADL difficulties was associated lower odds of good health [Odds ratio = 0.364, 95%CI = 0.159,0.835] and quality of life [Odds ratio = 0.584, 95%CI = 0.357,0.954].ConclusionThis study concludes that difficulty in ADL has a significant negative association with health and quality of life among community-dwelling older population (> 50 years) in South Africa and Uganda. The sex differences support previous findings on differential health outcomes among men and women, and underline the importance of designing sex-specific health intervention programs.
Highlights
Difficulties in performing the activities of daily living (ADL) are common among middle-aged and older adults
Data source Data used in this survey were obtained from the World Health Organization (WHO) SAGE Well-Being of Older People Study (WOPS)
Measures The outcome measures of this study were: 1) selfreported health (SRH), and 2) self-reported quality of life (QoL). These two were assessed by single-item questions: 1) SRH: “How satisfied are you with your health?” and 2) QoL: How would you rate your overall quality of life?” The answers ranged from: Very Good, Good, Moderate, Bad and Very Bad
Summary
Difficulties in performing the activities of daily living (ADL) are common among middle-aged and older adults. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between self-reported difficulty in activities of daily living (ADL), health and quality of life among community-dwelling, older population in South Africa and Uganda. African countries, on average, have experienced substantial improvements in terms of declining maternal and child mortality, higher rates of child survival, and subsequent improvements in life expectancy [10,11,12,13] These slow but steady alterations in the epidemiological profile have coincided with a sharp rise in the prevalence of non-communicable chronic diseases (NCDs) [14,15,16,17]. While the proportion of older population relative to younger population remained the same, or even decreased because of high fertility rates in the region, the actual number of the elderly in the population has been growing yet issues surrounding their healthcare remain an underreported area in research
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
