Department of Public Health, CiST College, Pokhara University, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Department of Sociology and Gerontology and Scripps Gerontology Center, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, USA.
J Nepal Health Res Counc. 2024 Oct 3;22(2):419-429. doi: 10.33314/jnhrc.v22i02.5392.
The global aging population is growing rapidly, and Nepal is no exception. This increase is driven by changes in socioeconomic conditions, health behaviours, and advancements in the health system. In Nepal, almost a quarter of the national population are older adults (≥45 years), whose health status is rarely elaborated. This study was carried out to assess the socioeconomic, behavioural, and health-related characteristics of older adults in Nepal.
A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 4,179 randomly selected older adults residing in Bagmati Province from July 2022 to June 2023, via a multi-stage sampling technique. A semi-structured questionnaire including Geriatric Depression Scale, Activity of Daily Living, and Instrumental Activity of Daily Living along with sociodemographic and health profiles were used for the data collection through face-to-face interviews. The data were described in frequency and percentage across the local levels (urban/rural) and gender. Chi-square tests were done for bivariate analyses.
The mean age of the population was 61.66±11.1 years. The prevalence of multimorbidity, disability, and depression was found to be 27.6%, 23.3%, and 35.1% respectively. There was no significant difference between multimorbidity and depression across local levels, while there was a significant difference across disability status. There was a significant difference between multimorbidity and depression across genders.
This study provides comprehensive insights into the socioeconomic status, behavioural factors, and health status of older adults in Nepal. Study findings can inform interventions and policies at local levels to consider the unique needs of the older population in Nepal.
全球人口老龄化速度正在加快，尼泊尔也不例外。这种增长是由社会经济条件、健康行为和卫生系统的进步变化所驱动的。在尼泊尔，近四分之一的人口是老年人（≥45 岁），但他们的健康状况很少被详细说明。本研究旨在评估尼泊尔老年人的社会经济、行为和与健康相关的特征。
本研究于 2022 年 7 月至 2023 年 6 月期间，在尼泊尔巴格马蒂省进行了一项基于社区的横断面研究，通过多阶段抽样技术随机选择了 4179 名老年人。使用半结构式问卷，包括老年抑郁量表、日常生活活动和工具性日常生活活动，以及社会人口学和健康概况，通过面对面访谈进行数据收集。数据以当地（城市/农村）和性别为单位进行频率和百分比描述。进行了卡方检验进行双变量分析。
该人群的平均年龄为 61.66±11.1 岁。发现多疾病、残疾和抑郁的患病率分别为 27.6%、23.3%和 35.1%。多疾病和抑郁在当地水平上没有显著差异，而残疾状况则存在显著差异。多疾病和抑郁在性别上也存在显著差异。
本研究全面了解了尼泊尔老年人的社会经济地位、行为因素和健康状况。研究结果可以为当地各级的干预措施和政策提供信息，以考虑尼泊尔老年人口的独特需求。
