scholarly journals Prevalence, socio-demographic and environmental determinants of asthma in 4621 Ghanaian adults: Evidence from Wave 2 of the World Health Organization’s study on global AGEing and adult health

PLoS ONE ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (12) ◽  
pp. e0243642
Author(s):  
Justice Moses K. Aheto ◽  
Emilia A. Udofia ◽  
Eugene Kallson ◽  
George Mensah ◽  
Minicuci Nadia ◽  
...  

Background A previous multi-site study involving lower- and middle-income countries demonstrated that asthma in older adults is associated with long-term exposure to particulate matter, male gender and smoking. However, variations may occur within individual countries, which are relevant to inform health promoting policies as populations live longer. The present study estimates asthma prevalence and examines the sociodemographic characteristics and environmental determinants associated with asthma in older adults in Ghana. Methods This study utilised data from the nationally representative World Health Organization Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE) Ghana Wave 2. A final sample of 4621 individuals residing in 3970 households was used in analytical modelling. Factors associated with asthma were investigated using single level and multilevel binary logistic regression models. Results Asthma was reported by 102 (2.2%) respondents. Factors associated with asthma in the univariate model were: those aged 60–69 (OR = 5.22, 95% CI: 1.24, 21.95) and 70 or more (OR = 5.56, 95% CI: 1.33, 23.26) years, Ga-Adangbe dialect group (OR = 1.65, 95% CI: 1.01, 2.71), no religion (OR = 3.59, 95% CI: 1.77, 7.28), having moderate (OR = 1.76, 95% CI: 1.13, 2.75) and bad/very bad (OR = 2.75, 95% CI: 1.58, 4.80) health state, and severe/extreme difficulty with self-care (OR = 3.49, 95% CI: 1.23, 9.88) and non-flush toilet facility (OR = 0.62, 95% CI: 0.39, 0.99). Factors independently associated with asthma in the adjusted models were: those aged 60–69 (OR = 4.49, 95% CI: 1.03, 19.55) years, father with primary education or less (OR = 0.40, 95% CI: 0.17, 0.94), no religion (OR = 2.52, 95% CI: 1.18, 5.41), and households with non-flush toilet facility (OR = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.35, 0.96). Significant residual household-level variation in asthma was observed. Over 40% of variance in asthma episodes could be attributable to residual household-level variations. Conclusion Individual as well as household factors were seen to influence the prevalence of asthma in this national survey. Clinical management of these patients in health facilities should consider household factors in addition to individual level factors.

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-23
Author(s):  
Kofi Awuviry-Newton ◽  
Kylie Wales ◽  
Meredith Tavener ◽  
Paul Kowal ◽  
Julie Byles

Abstract Ghana's older population is projected to increase in coming decades and as a result will see increasing care needs. Understanding the functional difficulties older adults experience, and the associated factors, will help identify relevant intervention to assist older adults in meeting their care needs. This study aimed to analyse the prevalence of functional difficulties among older adults in Ghana, and examine how the World Health Organization International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (WHO-ICF) conceptual framework can relate to toileting difficulty to understand the factors that increase older adults’ care needs. Data were for 5,096 adults aged ⩾50 years from the WHO Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE) Ghana Wave 1. Difficulties were assessed using self-reported difficulty on 22 functional items, including toileting. Multivariate logistic regression tested associations between toileting and other factors as related to the WHO-ICF conceptual framework. Older adults reported climbing one flight of stairs without resting as a common functional difficulty. Difficulty eating was the item least identified. Toileting difficulty was ranked second among five total activities of daily living difficulties. Age, marital status, self-reported health, memory, bodily pain, short- and far-distance vision, obesity, stroke, chronic lung disease, trust at individual and neighbourhood level, toilet facility type, socialising with co-workers, and public and religious meeting attendance were statistically significantly associated with toileting difficulty in the final parsimonious model. Post-hoc analysis testing interaction revealed that interaction existed between female sex and never married marital status (p = 0.04), and obesity and widowed marital status (p = 0.01), with toileting as the outcome. A significant level of functional difficulty existed among Ghanaian older adults in this sample. Toileting difficulty was associated with factors across different components in the WHO-ICF, emphasising functional, social and environmental factors related to this fundamental human activity.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justice Moses Kwaku Aheto ◽  
Getachew A. Dagne

Abstract Background Hypertension is a major public health issue, a critical risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and stroke, especially in developing countries where the rates remain unacceptably high. In Africa, hypertension is the leading driver of cardiovascular disease and stroke deaths. Identification of critical risk factors of hypertension can help formulate targeted public health programmes and policies aimed at reducing the prevalence and its associated morbidity, disability, and mortality. This study attempts to develop multilevel binary logistic regression model, an in-depth statistical model to identify critical risk factors of hypertension to inform interventions aimed at improving cardiovascular health outcomes among adults. Methods This study used data on 4667 individuals aged ≥ 18 years from the nationally representative World Health Organization Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE) Ghana Wave 2 conducted in 2014/2015. Multilevel regression modelling was applied on final sample of 4381 individuals residing in 3790 households to identify critical risk factors for hypertension based on systolic blood pressure (SBP) (i.e. SBP > 140 mmHg). Results A total of 1273(27.3%) were hypertensive. Critical risk factors for hypertension identified were aged ≥ 50 years (OR = 5.4, 95% CI: 4.11–7.09), obese (OR = 1.51, 95% CI: 1.19–1.91), currently married (OR = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.64–0.89), individuals in moderate (OR = 1.38, 95% CI: 1.15–1.65) or bad/very bad health state (OR = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.0-1.83) and moderate difficulty with self-care (OR = 1.64, 95% CI: 1.1–2.44). Strong unobserved household-level residual variations were found. The results from the variation analyses showed that over 12% of variance in hypertension could be attributable to residual household-level variations. Conclusion Hypertension remains high in Ghana. Addressing the problem of obesity, targeting specific interventions to those aged over 50 years, and improvement in the general health of Ghanaians are paramount to reducing the prevalence and its associated morbidity, disability, and mortality. Lifestyle modification in the form of dietary intake, knowledge provision supported with strong public health message and political will could be beneficial to the management and prevention of hypertension.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyung Hee Lee ◽  
Hanzhang Xu ◽  
Bei Wu

Abstract Background: Quality of life (QoL) is an important component of individuals’ general well-being, particularly in older adults. However, factors influencing QoL among older adults in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) have not been fully examined. Furthermore, the role of gender differences in relation to QoL in multiple LMICs has also not been examined in detail. Methods: This study used data from the World Health Organization’s Study on Global AGEing and adult health (SAGE), Wave-1. Based on a literature review of existing works, a set of variables—an independent variable and covariates—were selected. The study sample consisted of 33,019 participants aged 50 years and above from China, Ghana, India, Russia, and South Africa. Multivariate linear regression models were estimated with the World Health Organization QoL scores as the dependent variable. To preserve the analytical sample size, multiple imputation was used to account for missing data. Results: L The results showed that generally, male older adults reported a better QoL than female older adults across all of the countries. The associations between QoL and sociodemographic factors, health-related factors, and social support factors among older adults differed according to country. Conclusions: This study provides a better understanding of QoL among older adults in LMICs, which can help prepare LMICs to better address the QoL of older adults. The results of this study can be used to develop programs to promote better living standards and services to reduce gender disparities and ultimately, to improve the QoL among older adults in LMICs. Keywords: Quality of life, gender inequality, older adults, low- and middle-income country


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyung Hee Lee ◽  
Hanzhang Xu ◽  
Bei Wu

Abstract Background: Quality of life (QoL) is an important component of individuals’ general well-being, particularly in older adults. However, factors influencing QoL among older adults in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) have not been fully examined. Furthermore, the role of gender differences in relation to QoL in multiple LMICs has also not been examined in detail. Methods: This study used data from the World Health Organization’s Study on Global AGEing and adult health (SAGE), Wave-1. Based on a literature review of existing works, a set of variables—an independent variable and covariates—were selected. The study sample consisted of 33,019 participants aged 50 years and above from China, Ghana, India, Russia, and South Africa. Multivariate linear regression models were estimated with the World Health Organization QoL scores as the dependent variable. To preserve the analytical sample size, multiple imputation was used to account for missing data. Results: L The results showed that generally, male older adults reported a better QoL than female older adults across all of the countries. The associations between QoL and sociodemographic factors, health-related factors, and social support factors among older adults differed according to country. Conclusions: This study provides a better understanding of QoL among older adults in LMICs, which can help prepare LMICs to better address the QoL of older adults. The results of this study can be used to develop programs to promote better living standards and services to reduce gender disparities and ultimately, to improve the QoL among older adults in LMICs. Keywords: Quality of life, gender inequality, older adults, low- and middle-income country


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyung Hee Lee ◽  
Hanzhang Xu ◽  
Bei Wu

Abstract Background: Quality of life (QoL) is an important component of individuals’ general well-being, particularly in older adults. However, factors influencing QoL among older adults in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) have not been fully examined. Furthermore, the role of gender differences in relation to QoL in multiple LMICs has also not been examined in detail. Methods: This study used data from the World Health Organization’s Study on Global AGEing and adult health (SAGE), Wave-1. Based on a literature review of existing works, a set of variables—an independent variable and covariates—were selected. The study sample consisted of 33,019 participants aged 50 years and above from China, Ghana, India, Russia, and South Africa. Multivariate linear regression models were estimated with the World Health Organization QoL scores as the dependent variable. To preserve the analytical sample size, multiple imputation was used to account for missing data. Results: L The results showed that generally, male older adults reported a better QoL than female older adults across all of the countries. The associations between QoL and sociodemographic factors, health-related factors, and social support factors among older adults differed according to country. Conclusions: This study provides a better understanding of QoL among older adults in LMICs, which can help prepare LMICs to better address the QoL of older adults. The results of this study can be used to develop programs to promote better living standards and services to reduce gender disparities and ultimately, to improve the QoL among older adults in LMICs. Keywords: Quality of life, gender inequality, older adults, low- and middle-income country


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