Ottie-Boakye Doris, Ayivor Sandra, Appiah Margaret, Ayivor Jesse Sey
School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Box LG 13, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
Citadel Research Network for Development, Box MM 292, Mampong-Ashanti, Ghana.
BMC Public Health. 2025 Jun 2;25(1):2028. doi: 10.1186/s12889-025-23183-4.
Food insecurity among older persons is a public health concern, which has health implications for their well-being. Food availability, access, and utilization have influenced Ghana's nutritional situation and its relationship to disease burden and healthcare. Despite existing evidence and social protection programmes to improve household consumption, studies regarding food insecurity among Ghanaian older persons in cash-grant communities are scarce. This study investigates the antecedents of food insecurity among older persons in cash-grant communities guided by the social-ecological model.
Data were from the Ageing, Social Protection and Health Systems study, a cross-sectional household survey of 400 older persons(60 + years) between 2017 and 2018. Data were analysed using descriptive and logistic regression.
Food insecurity prevalence was 33.5%. Our findings showed that some segments of older persons are more prone to food insecurity. These categories included males[AOR = 2.27, 95%CI = 1.05-4.90], having poor health status[AOR = 4.59,95%CI = 2.30-9.17], having no caregiver [AOR = 2.07,95%CI = 1.09-3.91], having household size 4 or more[AOR = 4.04,95%CI = 2.01-8.11], and belonging to a household without agricultural land[AOR = 2.02,95%CI = 1.07-3.80]. Household wealth index and the educational level attained were found to have a robust inverse relationship with food insecurity.
Food insecurity among older persons in cash-grant communities is a reality. Multidimensional and innovative approaches are needed to address health disparities, gender considerations and socio-economic conditions among older persons and their households in communities benefiting from social intervention programmes.
老年人粮食不安全是一个公共卫生问题，对他们的福祉有健康影响。粮食供应、获取和利用影响了加纳的营养状况及其与疾病负担和医疗保健的关系。尽管有现有证据和社会保护计划来改善家庭消费，但关于现金补助社区中加纳老年人粮食不安全的研究却很少。本研究以社会生态模型为指导，调查现金补助社区中老年人粮食不安全的前因。
数据来自老龄化、社会保护和卫生系统研究，这是一项2017年至2018年对400名60岁及以上老年人进行的横断面家庭调查。使用描述性和逻辑回归分析数据。
粮食不安全患病率为33.5%。我们的研究结果表明，某些老年人群更容易出现粮食不安全。这些类别包括男性[调整后比值比（AOR）=2.27，95%置信区间（CI）=1.05 - 4.90]、健康状况差[AOR = 4.59，95%CI = 2.30 - 9.17]、没有照料者[AOR = 2.07，95%CI = 1.09 - 3.91]、家庭规模为4人或更多[AOR = 4.04，95%CI = 2.01 - 8.11]以及属于没有农业用地的家庭[AOR = 2.02，95%CI = 1.07 - 3.80]。发现家庭财富指数和受教育程度与粮食不安全呈强烈的负相关。
现金补助社区中老年人的粮食不安全是一个现实。需要采取多维度和创新方法来解决受益于社会干预计划的社区中老年人及其家庭的健康差距、性别因素和社会经济状况。
