Assessing Health-Related Situation of the Rural Elderly in Bangladesh: A Microlevel Study

Author(s):  
Md. Fakrul Islam ◽  
Wardatul Akmam
Keyword(s):  
BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. e026560 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shanshan Yang ◽  
Tianzhi Li ◽  
Hongbing Yang ◽  
Jianhua Wang ◽  
Miao Liu ◽  
...  

ObjectiveTo investigate the relationship between upper and lower limb muscle strength and the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of a Chinese rural, elderly population.DesignA population-based, cross-sectional study.SettingMiyun, Beijing, China.ParticipantsThe participants of this study were 2083 (834 men and 1249 women) older adults from a rural area, (average age of ≥60 years), living in Miyun county, located on the outskirts of Beijing. Data were collected between May and October 2014. Handgrip strength and timed up and go tests (TUGT) were conducted to measure the muscle strength of their upper and lower limbs, respectively. The Euro Quality of Life (Euroqol) (EQ-5D)-Visual Analogue Scale was used to evaluate participants’ HRQoL.ResultsA significant association between handgrip strength and the EQ-5D index (β=0.015 per SD, 95% CI: 0.008 to 0.023, p<0.001) was discovered, following adjustments. The association between handgrip strength and the EQ-5D index in the ≥80 years group was found to be stronger than that of the 60–79 years group, following adjustment (β per SD: 0.013 vs 0.035). Similar results were observed when comparing the non-chronic disease group, in terms of TUGT time, against those with chronic diseases.ConclusionsThere was a significant relationship between muscle strength (measured via handgrip strength and TUGT time) and HRQoL (measured via EQ-5D index and VAS score) in the Chinese rural elderly population. Furthermore, this relationship was stronger in the older population (aged ≥80 years), and in those participants diagnosed with chronic diseases.


2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 161-164
Author(s):  
FM Shamim Ahmmed ◽  
Md Saydur Rahman ◽  
Farzana Zafreen ◽  
Rowshan Ara ◽  
Md Ziaul Islam

Introduction: Elderly population in Bangladesh is one of the largest in the world in term of absolute number and ageing is an emerging problem. Elderly are at risk from non-communicable diseases as well as mental problems and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) affects in urban and rural elderly. Objective: To find out and compare HRQoL in urban and rural elderly population of Bangladesh. Materials and Methods:A comparative cross-sectional study was carried out to compare HRQoL in urban and rural elderly. This was a two samples study; 130 each from urban and rural. Total 260 elderly were selected conveniently. Data were collected through face to face interview using a pre-tested semi structured questionnaire of SF-36 v2 HRQoL survey.  This study was carried in urban elderly residing in Ward number 3, Race Course, Cumilla City Corporation and in rural elderly residing in Noapuskuni Village of Babutipara Union, Muradnager Upazila, Cumilla. This one-year study was conducted from 15 July 2017 to 14 June 2018. Results: Majority of the elderly were Muslim (91.5%), female (53.5%), married (59.6%) and from joint family (91%). The mean ± SD age of elderly was 69.26±6.337 years and mean ± SD monthly family income was Tk. 16561.54±9192.076. SF- 36 v2 HRQoL scale; a licensed software-based survey tool was used measure the health-related quality of life of elderly.  Most of the elderly were found with average physical component summary (PCS) (53.1%) and mental component summary (MCS) (50.8%) of HRQoL. Age had significant negative correlation with PCS (p<0.001) and MCS (p<0.001) in urban and rural elderly. Education level of urban and rural elderly had significant positive correlation with PCS (p<0.01) and MCS (p<0.01). Marital status of urban and rural elderly had significant negative correlation with PCS (p<0.001) and MCS (p<0.001) of HRQoL. Among the rural respondents, the mean ± SD of PCS of male was 43.79±5.766 and female was 41.14±6.860. The difference was statistically significant (p<0.05). Mean score of PCS of urban and rural respondents were 45.68±6.366 and 42.43±6.467 respectively. This difference was statistically significant (p<0.001). Mean scores of MCS of urban and rural respondents were 43.96±4.921 and 42.56±7.028 respectively. This difference was not statistically significant (p>0.05). Conclusion: Most of the elderly had average level of health-related quality life. Rural female elderly had significantly lower physical health of HRQoL than that of rural male elderly. Physical dimension of HRQoL of rural elderly was significantly lower than that of urban elderly. JAFMC Bangladesh. Vol 15, No 2 (December) 2019: 161-164


2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhiheng Zhou ◽  
Caixia Wang ◽  
Huajie Yang ◽  
Xiang Wang ◽  
Chanjiao Zheng ◽  
...  

The aim of this study was to examine health-related quality of life (HRQL) as measured by SF-36 and to identify these factors and the preferred health-seeking institutions of 12,800 persons aged 60 and older with and without chronic conditions in rural areas of Guangdong Province by multistage stratified cluster sampling method. HRQL among rural elderly subjects with chronic conditions was lower than that of elderly subjects with no chronic conditions. Multiple linear regression showed that marital status, living with children, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, cataract disease, and mental disease were the main affecting factors of HRQL. The main preferred health-seeking institutions selected by the rural elderly were community/town health service institutions, district hospitals, or secondary hospitals. Our findings indicate that the elderly in rural areas of Guangdong Province have a poor HRQL and incorrect health-seeking pathway. The healthcare policymakers should emphasize the need of developing effective and targeted community services strategies to improve the elderly individuals’ HRQL in rural areas of China.


Author(s):  
Amy Hasselkus

The need for improved communication about health-related topics is evident in statistics about the health literacy of adults living in the United States. The negative impact of poor health communication is huge, resulting in poor health outcomes, health disparities, and high health care costs. The importance of good health communication is relevant to all patient populations, including those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Efforts are underway at all levels, from individual professionals to the federal government, to improve the information patients receive so that they can make appropriate health care decisions. This article describes these efforts and discusses how speech-language pathologists and audiologists may be impacted.


Author(s):  
Charles Ellis ◽  
Molly Jacobs

Health disparities have once again moved to the forefront of America's consciousness with the recent significant observation of dramatically higher death rates among African Americans with COVID-19 when compared to White Americans. Health disparities have a long history in the United States, yet little consideration has been given to their impact on the clinical outcomes in the rehabilitative health professions such as speech-language pathology/audiology (SLP/A). Consequently, it is unclear how the absence of a careful examination of health disparities in fields like SLP/A impacts the clinical outcomes desired or achieved. The purpose of this tutorial is to examine the issue of health disparities in relationship to SLP/A. This tutorial includes operational definitions related to health disparities and a review of the social determinants of health that are the underlying cause of such disparities. The tutorial concludes with a discussion of potential directions for the study of health disparities in SLP/A to identify strategies to close the disparity gap in health-related outcomes that currently exists.


2013 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 82-87 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eva van Leer

Mobile tools are increasingly available to help individuals monitor their progress toward health behavior goals. Commonly known commercial products for health and fitness self-monitoring include wearable devices such as the Fitbit© and Nike + Pedometer© that work independently or in conjunction with mobile platforms (e.g., smartphones, media players) as well as web-based interfaces. These tools track and graph exercise behavior, provide motivational messages, offer health-related information, and allow users to share their accomplishments via social media. Approximately 2 million software programs or “apps” have been designed for mobile platforms (Pure Oxygen Mobile, 2013), many of which are health-related. The development of mobile health devices and applications is advancing so quickly that the Food and Drug Administration issued a Guidance statement with the purpose of defining mobile medical applications and describing a tailored approach to their regulation.


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